A New Beginning
by The Hope Lions
Summary: Megan Winchester expected a complicated life without a boyfriend or even friends; her dads taught her better than that. What Megan didn't expect though was that that complication would come in the form of an injured teenage boy who's much more than he seemed. Now there's a war on, and no one is sure they'll win.
1. Chapter 1

I shouldn't be starting this, not when I have my show running all week and another fic to update, but I want happy love instead of drama and I miss this fandom…

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Chapter 1

I'm not afraid of monsters. I've fought ghosts, ghouls, demons, and even angels in my 15 years. The first time I drove a car I was six and trying to escape from a werewolf. If it's evil and wants to eat me I know how to kill it.

Of course there is one think I know to be scared of. There is one thing in this universe to fear and you can never escape them- humans. All of my parents bloodiest cases are human in origin. Humans are random, chaotic, and dangerous. Vampires are easy to predict; if you know what they're going to do you can outsmart them. You can never outsmart a human.

That's why I'm not supposed to approach strangers. I can kill a wendigo five different ways, but I promised my worrisome parents that I'd stay away unless there was a monster involved. Like I said, monsters I can handle.

So that's why I was initially hesitant when I saw the grimy brunette stumbling down the street. He obviously needed help, but I had no idea if he was a rapist or just a drunk. Just the dark look about him assured that he was dangerous. Still, I hunt to help people, and this teen surely needed help.

When I moved to get a better look I noticed that the drunken stager was not due to intoxication, but a clearly broken ankle (the angle could tell you that). Rushing to the man's side I felt an odd sense of familiarity. He looked just like my dad, Dean. (That is if Dean was about 35 years younger than he is now.) Even his stance reminded me of how I'd seen my father look when hurt on a hunt.

"Are you okay?" I asked dumbly. The bloodstains said he wasn't, but I wasn't really sure what else to say. "Where are you hurt? I can help."

"I'm fine," the boy lied with a cringe. "Go aw…" Looking back I understand that the look that dawned on his face was one of utter amazement, but then I only saw confusion. It was as if this boy knew everything about me, despite us having never met. "Sorry it's just you look really familiar," he finally told me upon realizing his staring. "I'm honestly fine. I heal quickly and the blood isn't mine. See, no wounds."

With a lift of his shirt, the injured boy revealed no wounds, but instead an intensely ripped set of abs. Forget a six pack, he had 12. Now it was my time to gape, but when his shirt went back down, I spoke to draw attention away from my blush. "Your ankle's broken. Why don't you let me set it and I'll drive you home."

"I don't have a car," he confessed with a shrug. "And since you're walking in this weather I'm guessing you don't either. I'm fine, see no broken ankle."

That wasn't possible. His ankle was practically facing backwards a minute ago, and now it was perfectly fine. That kind of healing isn't human. I'd know. "Sorry, must just been a trick of the light that made it look off," I told him as I bent down to touch it casually brushing my silver and holy water covered bracelet against his skin. When I noticed no reaction, I realized my words just had to be true. Any monster would react to my bracelet, angels excluded, but if this man was an angel he would have teleported away instead of staggering injured. Nope, this was just a super attractive human boy who must have gotten in a fight. "You should still let me walk you home. It's not safe out here."

The boy laughed, "I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be my line. Isn't it normally the girl who needs protecting on the dark Hastings, Nebraska streets?"

Ugg. Typical sexist assumptions. (And this small town was nowhere near dangerous.) "I don't need protection."

"I'm certain that's true," he told me with an awkward smile before standing up with an extended hand. "Michael."

"Megan," I told him with a smile. "But some people call me Meg. While I don't talk to many people but my dad calls me Meg, while one of them so… sorry I'm rambling. You can call me whatever I guess."

"You don't sound like you talk to many people, Megan," Michael deduced as we set down the moonlight street. "I hope it's not because you have two dads because that would just be sad."

"No. I'm just not much of a people person," I told him glad that, unlike most people, he doesn't seem too interested in the fact that I have two dads. "I guess I get that from them. Dean basically has spent his whole life talking on to his family, and Cas… while the recurring theme of his life is 'I don't get it.' I'd much rather sit at home and read than go to a party so… I just don't make friends."

"That's a shame," Michael decided after an awkward stretch of silence. "You're a good talker. So your dad's name is Cas? Never heard that name before."

"It's short for Castiel," I explained like that name was any more common. "Let's just say his Dad is a bit… old fashioned."

Michael seemed to find this explanation hilarious, because it took him almost a minute to settle down. "Are your dads home now?"

Instantly my danger sensors began buzzing. Why did this strange guy want to know if my parents were home? Generally, that's the kind of question rapists and murderers ask nice, young girls.

Michael must have sensed my distrust because he apologized, "I didn't mean it like that. I just look the bad boy type and didn't want to startle them by walking you home and having them think you were in with the wrong crowd."

"I thought we decided I didn't need protection," I pointed out continuously avoiding his question. "How about I walk you home so your parents think you're in with a better crowd than the blood on your shirt would suggest."

"That will be difficult as I haven't seen my dad in a long time and I never had a mom in the first place," Michael told me quickly, but without malice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a touchy subject. How old are you that you're living alone?" Michael didn't look much older than I did, despite his ragged demeanor. Maybe 16 or 17 tops.

"16, but I don't have a guardian."

No we had already established that. "So you're emancipated?"

"Technically I'm dead." Wait, what? "I mean according to the government I am. I was declared dead 2 years ago after my car went off a bridge. I survived; they just don't know it."

"Wow that's…" I'd heard a lot of interesting stories in my life but that took the cake. "So how do you work or something. How do you pay your rent?"

"I don't," Michael confessed kicking a rock so not to look me in the eye. "I'm more of a destitute wanderer. No home, no car, no money. Not that I need any of that. Having nothing suits me."

I found it shocking how casual Michael was about being homeless. "Why don't you come home with me," I offered hoping my pity wasn't apparent. "We have an extra bedroom for when Uncle Sam comes around. Not the Army Uncle Sam, my actual Uncle that is. He's not home though so you could use it. It's freezing out here; you'll catch your death."

"I don't think your dads would much appreciate me showing up on their doorstep," Michael responded with a knowing chuckle.

"You don't know my dads," I countered though it was true. Cas might be welcoming, but Dean… he was inertly distrustful of everyone. (Especially men who want to get near me.) Years of hunting told him that people were bad, while years of fighting taught Cas that people were good.

"One look at you and I could predict their reaction," Michael told me with a cool chuckle. "No I'm fine, honest. The cold doesn't bother me. Maybe I'll see you around, Meg."

"Take care," I murmured as the shadowed boy disappeared into the dark night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It wasn't the Impala sitting in the driveway that surprise me (though I hadn't expected them home so soon), but the black Honda accord next to it. Good thing Michael hadn't come home because it seemed the room I offered him wasn't actually empty.

"Aren't you frozen?" Uncle Sam asked me upon hearing the jingle of the bells Dean thought it wise to put on the door. (Sam snuck out so many times when they were kids I think he has trust issues.)

"I've been frozen since the day I was born," I responded with a chuckle and a hug in his warming embrace. "A few feet of snow makes no difference."

"She's crazy, I swear," Dean told his brother with a proud smile. Crazy and Winchester are synonymous. "Where you been anyway?"

"Just out," I told with a shrug. Often my parents inquired as to where I've been, but why I don't really know. I could say prison and they wouldn't really care. They want me safe, but if it wouldn't be dangerous they were fine with it. (And their definition of dangerous was slightly different than most parents. I guess having an angelic father who can just heal you up whenever comes as a plus.)

"Alone?" Uncle Sam meant it as a tease, but like always I took the opportunity and began my marathon.

"Nope. I met a dark and handsome man and we had sex and now I'm going to bear him plenty of babies."

I don't care how many decades you spend as a human amongst humans; some knee jerk reactions (like forgetting the meaning of sarcasm for instance) stick with you. (Or so the spit filled water Cas covered the floor with would argue.)

"You're not pregnant," my angelic father murmured as if he was sure, yet not at the same time.

"She's kidding, Cas," Sam told the never aging man while giving me an approving look. "I'm sure they used more protection than an angel blade while knocking boots."

"It was one time and I didn't understand the question," I heard Cas futilely as I left the room to go take a steaming shower. While the water drizzled down my back, my thoughts wandered back to the dark January streets. Uncle Sam was right-a person would freeze in the sub-zero temperatures. How could I possibly have allowed Michael to stay out alone?

"Where do you think you're going with wet hair in this weather?" Cas called not needing to look to notice me sneaking out the back door.

"About that boy…." I began cringing. "He might have been homeless and now I'm worried he's going to freeze to death because I didn't insist he find shelter."

"And you'll freeze to death if you go outside. It's snowing again and the answer is no. He'll just have to find his own way to shelter." Dean isn't as cold as he often sounds, but when it comes to me risking my life he'd let the whole world end to keep me safe. No one stranger was going to change that.

"How about I go out and look," Cas suggested noticing my unease. "If I find anyone outside I'll get them somewhere safe. For all you know he's already hauled up in a shelter for the night or on a bus never to be seen again."

I knew my dad was right; the snow was coming down heavy since I came inside and there was no way I'd find him. Plus, Cas doesn't get cold so it was perfectly safe. "I guess." I decided before heading up to my room. "Give me a call if you find him."

Two hours later, there was no call, but Cas came back into the house his ancient trench coat frozen solid, but looking none the worse for wear. "There is not a homeless person on the streets of our lovely Hastings," he assured me. "Wherever your young man went he's nice and warm."

Thank God. If I'd opened the newspaper tomorrow (or today I guess since it's already past 1) and saw that his body had been found in a snow bank I'd have felt horrible. Not only was Michael a nice kid, but that was also the worst way to die imaginable. (And I have a very vivid imagination.)

"Thank you," I told him honestly before heading up into my room because, like every other wretched day of high school, I had an early morning.

* * *

"Meg went to bed two hours ago," Sam's words reached my ears through my dreams jerking my awake. If my parents were light sleepers (or Dean was… Cas doesn't sleep) I slept like a feather. I had long ago realized that my brain was trained so specific words (my name, hunt, angels, demons, Crowley) awoke me like an anvil landing on your head. "Whatever it is that's bothering you, Cas, just say it."

"I found a trace of grace," he muttered anxiety apparent even through a closed door. "Not enough for me to recognize who, but he's powerful. I doubt he caught up with Meg, but she was definitely being followed." The ancient heating system jerked loudly so Dean's response was mumbled, but I made out some intense profanity that even now bothers Cas.

"But why? What would an angel want with Megan?" I caught Sam saying once the creaking quieted down.

"Take your pick," Dean, who had had this argument with Cas more times than I could count, responded with a sigh. "She's not that hard to trace back to me, so revenge, or Cas, so more revenge, and even if they don't know who she is Megan is… how did you put it Cas?"

"The most influential vessel since you, Sam. I didn't realize it at the time, but Megan's surrogate mother had vessel capabilities too. She's every angels dream."

"I think you need to go back to living in the bunker with me," my Uncle suggested much to my horror. It's not that the bunker stinks (I mean it does, literally smell,) it's that the town where it's located had a population of oh… 300.

"And what about Meg's schooling?" Cas, always the advocate, pointed out. "She's halfway through her sophomore year at St. Cecilia's. It would be bad to move her again."

Cas is the dreamer, but Dean the pessimistic realist (who, unfortunately, is always right.) "It will be bad to have an angel around ready to jump her bones."

"Megan's a smart girl. She not about to get tricked into saying yes, Dean. Would she be safer at the bunker? Of course, but she'd also be deprived of the only childhood any Winchester has ever gotten." I'd forgotten how much Sam just wanted to be normal, and how sad he'd been when a few drops of demon blood made that impossible.

"I'll keep a look out," Castiel assured his husband. "One more trace of grace and we'll go to the bunker no matter the fight Meg puts up. But for now I think we should stay here."

"I think that's a good idea." Sam might only be my uncle, but he had just as much say in what happened to me as Cas and Dean. If 2/3 of my guardians thought it safe enough to stay Dean wasn't going to fight. "But even if our winged friend doesn't show again you should move at the end of the year. Three years in one place is clearly too long."

And, in the unfortunate way that is childhood, the next years of my life were planned while I was supposedly asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Who else is freaking out about the season 9 finale? I know I am! I didn't say this before but

until I'm over and take over as show runner of Supernatural season 20 (imagine Sam's hair length) I do not own Supernatural

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Chapter 3

I didn't confront my family over what I'd heard; it would get my nowhere. Instead, I moved about in my life as if nothing changed, but something had. I didn't care that we were moving again. In a way, it's every teenage girl's dream to become a whole new person every few years, and I was glad I didn't need to work to make bonds that would only be broken. If anything about the conversation clung to my mind it was that there was a lurking angel about; possibly one after me.

My dad's an angel. I got used to that fact before I could talk, and not soon after I understood that I couldn't tell people he was an angel. That doesn't change the fact however that Castiel, is an angel.

But he's not like the rest. They sit restlessly up in Heaven neither causing much trouble or much good. They kind of just exist and when they occasionally step out of line we put them back in their place. The relative peace between angels and humanity was a major factor in my existence. Dean and Cas finally felt safe enough to have the kid they always wanted.

Of the angels I'd met in my life, only one wanted to use me as a vessel. I was only five or six when I looked out from my school playground to see a young man with his skin burnt and peeling off. To most children that would have been terrifying, but I'd already seen demons and ghosts in my day so even at a young age few things frightened me.

Upon seeing the man, I knew he needed help, but when I went over to ask what I could do he recognized my ability as a vessel. He asked if I wanted to help him. I replied that I wanted to help him. He asked if I'd do anything to help him. I swore I'd do anything to help him.

The key was, as the unfortunate angel quickly discovered, I didn't know the word yes. Of course I'd heard it, but my parents figured the best way to keep me from accidentally saying yes to being a vessel was to ingrain in my mind that I must never say yes. I was probably 10 or 11 before I ever even spoke the word. Always I repeated the question as a statement and avoided the dangerous word and that kept me safe that day until the teachers saw me talking to a stranger (who later died in a hospital room of a 'chemical blast' that burned out the eyes of two nurses.)

I now used the word yes, but never without thinking over what I'm saying yes to. I never say I'd do anything to help, because I wouldn't, and I never say yes to strangers. Even now that I was old enough that no angel could fool me, I still don't say the deadly one-syllable word much.

No angel was wearing me to prom, because I'd already picked out a dress.

It still was unnerving, however, to consider that there was an angel specifically after me. On that first occasion, the angel just happened to be burning through his vessel in front of my school, but never before has an angel specifically sought me out. I shouldn't have been surprised; now that I was as grown as I was going to be, (not that a 5 foot 2 body looks grown), angels will want me as a vessel. Like Cas said I'm powerful and a powerful vessel such as me could take our unofficial ceasefire and toss it out the window. Angels are the beings, but we human vessels hold all the power. Without us they're nothing.

Despite that, it did no good to dwell on what I knew. If there really were an angel after me then they'd soon discover my switchblade not only has a silver blade, but an angelic fragment too. They would be dead before I could even say yes had I wanted to.

When I finally made it downstairs after throwing on approximately 30 layers, I found Uncle Sam jangling a set of keys in his hands. "Considering it's about 100 below I figured I'd drive you to the bus stop.

I'd been planning on just taking the Impala (when not on a hunt my dads didn't need it), but if Sam wanted to drive me why bother breaking the law? I slid into the passenger seat of his remarkably average little car and waited for the real reason he wanted to drive to be revealed.

"Does it ever bother you that you can't just be a normal teen?" he finally asked when we got to the edge of my neighborhood.

"I know that it bothered you a lot that you didn't get that apple pie life," I began without spite. "But no, it doesn't really bother me. Normalcy is overrated. I kind of like the moving because why care what people think of you when in a year or so time you'll never see them again? Also, I see in forums and such all these people who'd give anything to have proof that other beings exist. I talk with a few Supernatural fans, just because I find it hilarious, and it's just astounding. Your lives, especially back then, sucked, but they'd give anything to trade places with you. Even more to trade places with me. So no, I don't mind the hunting life, because it's better than the boring life I see my classmates living."

"But you don't hunt," he reminded me gently. "And not because they don't let you. Dean's said a million times how he wishes you'd just kill one vampire, go after one werewolf."

How could I explain to a man who was raised with even more killing than me how I felt? "If a vampire or a werewolf attacked me I'd fight back, but I feel like I need to go down a different path. I've seen the pain that being a hunter can cause, and I want to help in a different way. Saving the life of a single hunter will save the life of a hundred innocents. I'm not going to try to run from your world, our world, but I'd much rather keep my head in books and direct hunters than fight monsters myself."

"You're a true woman of letters," Sam decided with a smile. "And you're blessed to have the option to go down that path, because I know I never did."

I didn't tell Sam of course, but I had a nagging feeling that it was good John Winchester never gave his son an option, because despite what he thought Sam's a better fighter than thinker any day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Can Evangeline Bieber come to the main office please?"

If only we could move quicker so I can get rid of that stupid name. Cas just didn't understand the whole Justin Beiber thing and picked the name without thinking. It's humiliating.

"Oh Eva," our kindly secretary, Mrs. Lois told me with a smile. "We got a new student today and we think he said he knew you."

"You think he said he knew me?" Okay, maybe I shouldn't be sarcastic with authority figures, especially kind ones like Mrs. Lois, but the way that just came out was a bit ridiculous.

"Well he described you perfectly," she replied with a confused shrug. "But he called you Megan."

Good thing we weren't still walking because roots basically grew up from the ground to hold my feet in place. There were four people in this town who knew my real name, Megan, and only one of them was school age.

The headmaster's office slid open and out, in a fresh new uniform and crisp shave, stood homeless Michael looking far too nice to have been outside all night. Actually, he looked far too nice to have ever spent a night outside.

"Hey, Evangeline," the boy told me with a *you have some explaining to do* look. "You wouldn't to happen to know how to get to AP World History, would you?"

* * *

"So, did you lie last night or does the school have you under a false ID?" Michael finally asked with a grin once we were out of earshot.

"Don't call me out on lying," I noted with a raised eyebrow. "You said you were homeless, but look at you here at the paying school."

"Touché," Michael decided with a gentle laugh. "I was telling the truth about being homeless though. It's just you who assumed I had no money."

"So if you're rich why don't you have a home?" Michael had seemed abnormal last night, but now his weirdness level was rivaling mine.

"Who needs one?" Michael finally countered. "Now I've answered your question, you answer mine."

I'm not one to get stupid around men, but something told me Michael knew the answer without me even saying it. "Megan Winchester is the name that went on my birth certificate, and the death certificate filed a few days later," I explained in hushed tones. "Let's just say my parents are a bit paranoid and figured the best way to keep people from looking for me is for me to be dead."

"And I'm assuming your dads are "dead" two," Michael responded with definitive air quotes that looked funny on a guy.

"Quite a few times over," I told him with a laugh; if only Michael could know how true that actually was.

"So where did you pick the name Evangeline Bieber from? Why not just keep Megan and change the last name?"

It was a legitimate question, but a hard one to respond to without explaining the whole demon thing. "My dad Cas… there was this girl. They weren't exactly dating, but things between them were… weird. My family hunts and one day the girl, Meg, was with them when this mountain lion attacked them. Meg died to save Cas' life. When they decided Dean should be my biological father, Cas got the pick the name. He picked Meg, which Dean lengthened to Megan… let's just say him and Meg had a bad history."

"Okay, so I get how you got the name Megan, but what about Evangeline," Michael prompted clearly not entertained by the story. (I not being able to tell the truth of it probably didn't help).

"I was getting to that," I told him the slightest bit of annoyance apparent in my voice. "Well like I said my parents are paranoid so we move every few years. Two states over and 6 years ago I found out the whole story about why Dean didn't like Meg. Let's just say she was a real demon bitch." (Michael laughed at that. Though he couldn't possibly have known the hilarious truth behind it.) "Well I decided then that I didn't like my name and decided from then on I'd have a new first name with each place in addition to a new last name."

"But where did you come up with Evangeline? Sorry if I seem nosy, I just feel like there must be a story behind everything in your life," Michael corrected quickly.

"You don't know the half of it," I told him with a snort. "In the Greek Orthodox religion there is no archangel Gabriel who came to Mary. Instead they say the angel's name was Evangeline, the bearer of good news. Well in my last home I went by Gabriella, because I really kind of like Gabriel, but I wanted something new here so I went with his Greek form, Evangeline."

Michael was practically doubling over laughing when he responded, "You like Gabriel? Why?"

"Don't laugh," I told him despite the fact that I, myself, was giggling too. (Ugg since when do I giggle?) "Gabriel just seems like a funny guy. You know the type who'd make a porn video to be played in the case of his death."

"I'm pretty sure the bible doesn't say that," Michael pointed out causing me to curse at my blatant lack of caution. Most people didn't have the Trickster crash her 11th birthday party just to remind everyone that he's not dead. "But you know I can kind of see Gabriel being funny."

"You're named after an angel," I told Michael with an awkward smile. "Did you know that?"

"Yes, actually I did," Michael told me with a beaming grin. "Michael, the prince of the Heavens, who cast out his brother Lucifer when he rose against the Father."

"You make him sound so nice, but basically his life goal was to kill his brother because God said so. Personally I bet he's a dick."

Michael seemed to take personal offence to my insult of his namesake, but eventually he shrugged it off. "You would see it that way."

"Why do you always speak as if you know me?" I asked just as we arrived at our shared first period class. "I mean we haven't known each other for more than a day, and half of that time I spent worrying you'd died."

Michael stood blocking the path with his toned body when responding, "You think you're so well hidden, but you're not. You carry your personality on your shoulders. With one look at you in the freezing cold night I knew you were independent, strong, intelligent, maybe a bit reckless, but definitely you had a good heart. So maybe you don't know me, Meg, but I certainly know you."

And so it seemed he did, when he let the sentence drift and went to introduce himself to the teacher.


	5. Chapter 5

SPOILERS FOR THE SEASON 9 FINALE!

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Chapter 5

Lunch found Michael by my side again, but this time I wasn't so talkative. In all my years, I told few people anything about my life, and never told anyone even a false version of my real life. In comes Michael and I first tell him my real name, not the one I'm going by, and then explain everything. It was the stupidest thing I could possibly have done, and I wanted to know why I did.

"Did I do something wrong or…" Michael questioned when realizing my sullen mood. "I mean I understand if you don't want to be seen with me, I guess."

"Look around this table," I responded with a sigh. "Do you see anyone else here? People don't sit with me for two reasons. One, I don't care what they think of me, and two, I don't talk. I don't tell people about my life, never have. And today, just hours after we met, you know me in an intimate way. I don't like it and I want an explanation for why. Why I told you things I shouldn't have,"

Michael began laughing and I hit him before he indignantly answered. "Look, "Evangeline." You talked to me because we're the same. We both know there is much more to this world. These people don't sit with you because they don't understand the look in your eyes. They don't understand, but I do, because we're the same." I had no idea what he meant by that, which he obviously picked up, so Michael continued with a faint smile. "Look, I didn't want to tell you because I figured you'd realize it yourself, but if it makes you feel better… I recognized the charm on your necklace, the one you hide so no one realizes you wear a pentagram because it's not a pentagram."

Instantly my hand flew to the little charm I'd had since my birth and never, ever taken off. It was the one thing in the world that could protect me from ever not being me. It was something most people would never know about, but also the first gift I gave to everyone I met. Since my 7th birthday I'd been hand making anti-possession charms and handing them out to anyone I met in hope that maybe, just maybe, someone will wear it and be safe.

"Your anti-possession charm pegs you for what you are," Michael told me softly. "A hunter… or the child of a hunter I'd assume. Your eyes haven't seen enough death for you to hunt much yourself."

Typical. I finally meet a (semi) nice guy, and he only talks to me because he recognizes me as a hunter.

"Also, the fact that you did the monster test on me helped bring about the conclusion," Michael shrugged carelessly. "You're not mad, right?"

"Mad?" his insane assumption broke me from my stupor. "Why would I be mad?"

"That you don't get to have a normal boyfriend."

Okay, I had to laugh at this. "You're not my boyfriend," I reminded him.

"Not yet," he countered with a wink. "But a little angel told me that the cupids are at work to make it so." My face must have been horrified because a laughing Michael continued. "There aren't actually any cupids around, don't worry. I'll protect your virtue just find."

"It's not the cupid thing," I told him with a scowl. "It's how casually you throw around the a-word. Every hunter I've met is terrified of them. At least demons you can exorcise."

"Megan," Michael interrupted. "You forget that as a hunter I know certain…stories. The minute you started talking about your parents…" Oh. Right. As much as we hated it, the Winchesters and Castiel had become legend amongst hunters. I'd told him enough for him to make an educated guess. "You live with an angel. It was supposed to be a joke."

"That's how Cas couldn't find you, isn't it," I mindlessly muttered forgetting that Michael had no clue I'd sent my dad out looking for him. "Wherever you live, or stay I guess, must have been warded to keep angels out."

"Whatever you say," Michael told me with a wink. "Nice to know you were concerned about your boyfriend."

"You're not my boyfriend," I repeated a bit too loudly from the number of eyes we drew.

"Why not?" Michael countered causing my to choke on my water. "I'm not bad looking and I'm the only person in this school you can talk freely to. What more could you want in a match."

"Someone that's human," I suggested with a shrug that brought Michael quickly to wasted words. "I'm not saying you're a monster, because we've already established you're not. All I'm saying is that you don't act human. One minute you're Bashful, and the next you're Captain Hook! It's like holding on to a pendulum. At first I thought I just didn't know who you were, but now I realize it's because you don't know who you are. Most likely, that comes down to you trying to impress me, but hunter or not changing yourself to fit my type is not going to help you 'get me'."

"Maybe I don't want to 'get you'," Michael countered indignantly sitting back in his chair. "Look at you making presumptions about what I do and do not want. I'm not out to claim you Megan, I'm out to discover if you're worth my time."

"If I'm worth your time!" What was up with these mood swings? One minute sweet and the next I was ready to stab him!

"You make me curious," Michael whispered in an attempt to keep me from drawing any faculty in addition to student stares. "Look, Meg, I'm not good with people. I haven't really talked to anyone in a long while. My personality is fluxing not because I'm trying to impress you, but because the old me and the me I think I'm becoming are clashing. I'm not trying to be mean, honest, I just have a habit for saying all the wrong things."

"Then say the right thing and tell me why I shouldn't go and eat the rest of my lunch alone in the library." Hunter or not I had nothing to say to an ass.

"You'll stay, Megan Winchester, because you're as curious about me as I am about you."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"There's an angel around," I blurted out when Michael and I were heading towards the buses after school. (Or I was heading to the buses and Michael had decided to tag along.) "Figured you should know so you don't end up killed."

"Is that why your uncle came to pick you up?" he inquired motioning subtly towards where Uncle Sam stood propped against the wall dangling his keys and smiling while pretending not to see me with a boy. (Yes a real live boy! Sometimes they can be found out of captivity!)

Rolling my eyes, I replied while shifting direction not the least bit surprised of a hunter recognizing Sam, "They're just all paranoid I guess, and Dean thinks that if Sam is going to have his own room at our house he should at least pull his weight by being the driver, and looks like I'm today's cargo."

Michael, who I clearly had lost long before my sarcasm kicked in, murmured as if he'd barely heard me, "Because you're the Archangel Michael's vessel."

"Pardon?"

Michael, (the human one of course, not the archangel), turned to face me when he spoke again. "Well you are, aren't you? Technically you, Sam, and Dean all are of John Winchester's bloodline so any of you could be his vessel, but he'd pick you."

"What, what makes you think that?" I stumbled out. The thought had never really crossed my mind which one he'd pick if he hadn't been locked in Hell. I'd always just assumed he'd still go after Dean if not out of necessity, out of pride and stubbornness.

"Well they're both in the 50's now and don't let them hear me say this but they're not as strong as you. You'd just be the better body I mean. If I had to pick a 50 year old man or a stunning teenage girl I'd go with you any day."

Laughter brushed away any serious thoughts as I realized what Michael just said. "You do realize you just said you'd rather be a girl. I'm never going to let you live that one down."

Michael's cheeks were flushed when he too began chucking, "Yes, I guess I did. Not my brightest comment. Still, I mean it. If you had to pick to be young or old you'd pick young every time. There's a beauty in youth, a power."

"I guess so," I muttered not really having ever thought of what he said or ever planning on really thinking about it. "Come on, come meet my uncle."

Michael seemed to find the idea amusing, but he followed my bouncing footsteps. "Uncle Sam, I'd like you to meet my friend Michael."

"Mr. Winchester, it's an honor to meet you," the boy said with an (only slightly) overly enthusiastic smile.

"Win…" Sam muttered confused for only a second when everything clicked in place. "You a hunter, Michael?"

"Yes sir, I guess I am," he responded with a nod. "I've spent my whole life hearing stories about you and your brother. It's an honor to meet you."

"Wouldn't say that's true," the ever regretful Sam decided with a soft smile. "But it's nice to hear. So how did you and Megan meet and why on earth hasn't she mentioned that there's another hunter at the school."

The second part of his question was an obvious statement of the deep grave I'd be in if someone didn't explain quickly. "I met Michael today." Okay, a bit of a lie but not much. "He kind of figured out I was a hunter from my necklace."

"I figured most Catholic school girls don't wear pentagrams," Michael shrugged like it would be very amusing if we did. (Which, to be honest, it would be.) "And a simple conversation with your niece assured me that my assessment was right. She's quite something."

"Yes, she is," I repeated annoyed that he was talking like I wasn't here. "We should go, but I'll see you tomorrow. Okay?"

"Bye Megan. Don't let the vampires bite," he whispered before leaving Sam to give me the death glare.

"So because I found a hunter at my school are you guys going to make me move before the school year ends?" I inquired once I slid into the warm car.

"I knew you were listening to us," Sam murmured not the least bit surprised. "That's up to your fathers, because you're going to tell them. Not me."

"I don't see what the big deal is," why did it matter if there was a hunter at my school? If there was a hunter in my life?

Despite clearly not knowing how to put the sad truth, Sam began anyway, "Look, Meg. Michael looks like a nice kid despite having a very ironic name for a hunter, but don't you find it the least bit suspicious that in such a small town, in such a tiny school there's another hunter? The probability of it happening randomly is negligible because in case you've forgotten there aren't that many hunters. I'm not saying he's up to anything, I'm just saying it's odd. Besides, the whole point of you going to school is to be a normal person and know people who don't kill for a living."

"Technically I think the point of me going to school is so I can learn skills to better prepare myself for tomorrow," I reminded him by quoting my headmaster. "I mean I know it's weird that there is another hunter here, but if he's not dangerous what's the problem. Oh and by the way I don't want normal friends because the normal kids take thousands of pornographic pictures and videos and keep them on one computer to share when they're high and drunk."

Shaking his head Sam only managed a chuckled laughter, "And they say Catholic schools give you morals. You really not kidding about the porn ring?"

"Nope," I answered my disgust clear in the pop of the 'p'. "Dating back to when they were 13. Sure you wouldn't rather me hang out with hunters?"

"Maybe I would," Sam mused bemused. "But like I said it's up to your dads. Just whatever they say be careful with Michael, okay? Something about him seems…not natural."

"He's a hunter Sam, when are we ever natural? You drank demon blood and were once Lucifer. My dad is an angel. My other dad was once a demon. If Michael wasn't in hell he'd be wearing me to prom. And God came to my fake funeral. I think Mike has an excuse to be a bit off."

Sam scoffed as if to say that when you put it that way maybe me being part of an illegal child pornography ring might be the best course of action in my life. Unfortunately, I really couldn't agree. A hunters life was mad, but at least it wasn't serene.

* * *

For any of you who don't go to Catholic school yes stuff like porn rings do happen, and yes I know of 3 students who wear pentagrams... it's nothing like you'd expect. Well I hope you enjoyed and drop by a review I always respond!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"I don't like this one bit," Dean cussed when, true to my promise, I told him I'd made a hunter friend. "This is far too much of a coincidence for my liking."

"Maybe it's weird but that doesn't mean he's dangerous," I couldn't tell you why if my life depended on it, but Michael's presence at school finally gave me a reason to stay in a place. For once in my life I didn't want to leave. "I know for sure I could take him down in a fight, but I won't need to."

"Let say he isn't dangerous," Cas suggested. "Why is he here? It's not like there are any monsters in town or we'd know."

"And where are his parents anyway?" Dean, looking tired, asked.

"Mike doesn't have parents. They're probably dead considering." Hunter kids always seem to lose at least one parent to the job. "And he's only here because of me." Realizing how bad that sounded I tried to rectify the situation before Dean made up his unwavering mind. "He was just passing through last night when I saw him. He's the kid I met last night that you went to look for Cas. He saw me, a hunter, and was curious so he stayed. I get the feeling he hasn't met many other hunters."

"But all we found when we went out looking for the kid was angelic grace," Dean reminded me with a frown. "What if this Michael kid is a bit more than he seems?"

"He's not an angel," Castiel said firmly. "No angel would dare go by that name except for Michael himself and he's in hell."

"Are we actually sure of that?" Sam interrupted looking a bit nervous. "I mean are we 100% sure he hasn't gotten free in all these years."

"Oh my Chuck he is not the archangel Michael!" I cried exasperated. "You're all being ridiculous! He's human. He's a hunter. End. Of. Story. If you really don't trust other hunters enough to stay then fine, I'll go pack my bags now, but if we're really leaving because for the first time in my life someone is interested in being my friend then… then…" Unable to think of a good threat I cut myself off eyes burning, but Sam only started laughing from his side of the room.

"What's so funny?" I asked him scowling.

"Nothing," he answered biting his lip to stop. "I just forget sometimes that you really are quite the teenage girl. Dean, Cas, you're going to have a hell of a time getting Meg to leave because she has quite a crush on Michael."

I wanted to yell at him that I didn't, but my lungs had suddenly stopped giving off oxygen.

"Well I think he was kidding, but she's speechless for the first time in her life so I think you might have hit the nail on the head Sammy," an amused Dean concluded. "He tried to sleep with you yet?"

"No she's still a virgin," Ever knowing Cas concluded.

"You guys are all children!" I yelled at them slamming the door to my room more embarrassed than mad. At least them turning the conversation from leaving was good, but sheesh can't they at least pretend not to be all up in my business?"

"We were just kidding," Cas, who seemed to have pulled the short straw, told me upon stepping into my room. "And I can't smell virginity either."

"I know you were," but that didn't make it any less humiliating to have your parents making sex jokes. "But I just get frustrated that you wouldn't care if I'd slept with every man or women in the world, but if I'm friends with a hunter and suddenly it's a huge deal which is stupid because WE ARE HUNTERS!"

"Meg. Your father and I just worry about you," Cas reminded me as if that was some sort of excuse. "Not all hunters are good. Not all hunters are bad. Not all humans are good. Not all humans are bad. Not all angels are good. Not all angels are bad. And someone who's good one day can be bad the next and vice versa. We're afraid you're going to get hurt."

"Michael's not going to hurt me." Sure I barely knew the kid, but I knew, in my heart, that Michael did not want me hurt… he wanted me happy.

"There are more than one way to hurt someone," Cas reminded me while gently running his fingers through my tangled hair. "Sometimes people we love aren't who they seem to be and they betray us. Sam loved Ruby and swore she'd never hurt him, but in the end she did."

"She was also a demon working for Lucifer though," I reminded him. "I don't think she's exactly the best example."

Cas chuckled. "Maybe she isn't, but that's all I've got. We're not going to be moving before the year ends, but when it does we are going to move and you'll have to leave Michael. Are you sure a relationship is what you want when you know there is an end in sight."

"When Dean was a demon you still loved him," I whispered unsure what I was going to say until I did. "If love can survive that I think it can survive anything."

"But you don't love Michael. You just met him." Cas reminded me as if I could possibly been that stupid not to know that.

"Of course I don't love Michael yet," I might be crazy, but I'm not nuts. "But I do like him and I think that maybe, someday I could love him. Maybe as a friend, but maybe as more."

Cas, clearly perplexed by my perplexing teenage emotions, just shook his head and lightly patted my knee. Before shutting the door, however, he chuckled and spoke, "I might not be able to smell virginity, but I do care if you sleep with everyone on the block and I will know."

Laughing, I fell back in bed. Yeah. He probably would.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I'm surprised you're even still here today," Michael said running to catch me on the way to first period. "From the look on your uncle's face I thought they'd drag you to England to get you away from me."

"Naw, Dean doesn't like planes," I teased. "They talked about it but apparently you're trustworthy…" until you try to sleep with me that is. Then you're dead.

Michael laughed, before a perplexed look crossed his face, "How come you call your dads by their names? Why not call at least one of them dad?"

At least he was a hunter, otherwise this would sound even nuttier. "Neither of them exactly have good relationships with their dads. John Winchester was an abusive prick and God… well he's God I guess. When I was little I did call them dad and pops, but it made them really uncomfortable so eventually it became Dean and Cas."

Michael nodded, "I can completely understand their parent issues. My dad walked out on me too and I wouldn't want to go by that name. I wouldn't mind being a father, but being a dad no way."

I nodded awkwardly in agreement, "Yeah…"

"Do you want to go get some ice cream after school?" Michael blurted out right outside class so that everyone heard.

"Isn't it a bit cold for that," I answered with a laugh pointing to the layer of snow falling to the ground. "But sure, fatten me up if you like."

"It's a date," Michael replied with a wink that swore he did not chose that word accidentally.

"Am I your girlfriend, Michael?"

He stopped in his tracks, "I don't know. Do you want to be?"

The moment of truth, "Yes."

"And you don't think you should know me better before deciding that?" he responded with a giddy grin.

"I should, but I trust you Michael. I have no idea why but I trust you with all my being in a way I've only ever trusted my parents. I'm beginning to wonder if you gave me a love potion I trust you so much."

"No love potion, promise," Michael told me crossing his heart. "Maybe the angel your dad found was a cupid destining us to fall in love and have a thousand babies."

I slapped Michael hard enough that the red mark was still obvious on his bare arm (insane right) when the teacher entered the room to begin our class on none other than how babies were made.

* * *

"Let me guess, you're a strawberry girl," Michael decided as he brushed the heavy snow from my soaking hair.

I gave a little tisk, tisk before stepping up to the desk and ordering a chocolate fudge brownie sundae. I actually did like strawberry, but the more calories the better it tastes and with Michael paying why not. (I mean he's a rich kid who spends no money so he can afford a 6 dollar ice cream.)

"Where does all that food go!" Michael cried when halfway through his small cone when I'd already devoured my thousand-calorie food. "You're skinny as a pin and eat like a woolly mammoth!"

"I guess I just have a fast metabolism?" I told him with a shrug. "So what about yo…" I began until Michael's hand flew to my head and ducked it under the table. "What the."

Michael cut me off by covering my mouth with one hand and his with a single finger. Pointing to his ear he released my mouth. "There was a young blonde woman who came in here. About 5 foot 2 skinny as a twig. Did you see where she went?" a chilling voice inquired gruffly for only a few yards away.

"Eva Bieber?" the hostess, who happened to have been in my AP biology class, asked. "She was sitting over there with the new kid Michael, but I don't know where they went. Why you asking."

The voice didn't respond, but a low growl could be heard as footsteps brought a tall man closer to me. "Do you trust me?" Michael whispered and I nodded. "That man is about to lift this tablecloth. When he does I'm going to attack him and I want you to run."

"Who is he?" I whispered back noticing the fear in Michael's eyes.

"I'm not sure, but he's here for you Meg and he's not human. You ready to run?"

I didn't get to respond before the table cover flew up and Michael lunged at the man who'd discovered us. I went to run, but a hand grabbed my waist while my foot kicked up towards his crotch. I must have missed, however, because the hand didn't let go. "What a lovely surprise," the sickening voice told me. I went to turn and face my attacker when Michael's friendly hand grabbed my arm and suddenly I was no longer standing in a ravished ice cream parlor but on a dusty street.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

If I could have crawled backwards away from Michael any faster I would have.

"Meg, I need you to listen to me," he called quickly catching up and grabbing my hand (which I pulled away almost as quickly). "I know this looks really bad."

"You just teleported us," I whispered hoarsely. "Humans can't teleport."

"No," Michael confirmed plopping on the cool cement next to me. "Humans can't but I can."

No. No. No. No. No. "But you can because you… you aren't human. You're an angel." Why did he have to nod instead of denying it. "You're an archangel. You're Michael. The Michael. Prince of Heaven."

"Yes," there was something in his voice that, if I didn't know better, I could have called guilt. "I was planning on telling you Meg, but I needed you to trust me more."

"Well now I know. And I'm leaving and if you try to follow me then… then… I have an angel blade swiss army knife!"

"You mean this?" the angel asked twisting the knife in his hands. "I've always said they need to give girls deeper pockets. And now that you're weaponless and stuck you have to listen to me."

"I don't have to do anything!" I growled standing and taking off for the nearest phone (because mine had gotten broken in my fall.) Michael, however, seemed to no longer have qualms about teleporting and I quickly found my lips barely inches from his.

"You can't just call your family and have them pick you up, Meg." Michael told me with a slight chuckle. "It wouldn't be very effective. I didn't teleport us, I sent us back in time to the last point where I knew it was safe."

"What do you mean?" I asked a chill creeping down my spine. Suddenly, I remembered that I'd just been attacked and that Michael saved my life by revealing himself. Maybe he really wasn't the worst of my problems. "Who… who was that?"

"Nobody good," Michael asked, but apparently my face showed how few omissions of facts I was willing to accept right now. (The number being, of course, zero). "Lucifer, my brother."

"No but he…" I was going to say he was in Hell, but Michael had gotten free from the Cage, which means Lucifer probably did too. "Michael, when are we?"

"Can't you guess," he asked with a chuckle. "The day the angels fell and my brother and I rose."

Shaking my head, I went back down to the ground. "But if you've both been free for 20 years then why haven't we known. I mean you, I guess you could hide, but Lucifer… why would he?"

"Lucifer hasn't been on earth for 20 years," Michael stated plainly. "The moment Metatron's spell freed me from the Cage I high tailed it up here, but the Cage is only one thing that kept Lucifer locked away. It was the strongest barrier between him and the world, but not the only one. It probably took him years before even demons knew he could be free and then he had to find a vessel so filled with hate…that one really wasn't that difficult I guess but, in short, Lucifer's return was a marathon, not a sprint."

"And. You. Didn't. Think. To. Tell. Anyone. That. He'd. Be. Coming. Back?" I asked with gritted teeth. How could Michael be so stupid!

"If I'd done that they'd know I was back," the ancient angel bit back with a sigh. "Then I'd be expected to be Heavens new leader and we proved before that I'm no good at that."

Call it maternal instinct; call it goodness, but the sheer weight of Michael's words made it impossible for me to hold my anger against him. He might be the eldest of all angels, but he sounded so young, so confused, and so human. "My dad once thought he was God," I told him in an attempt to cheer him up. "Maybe being a bad leader doesn't make you a bad person… or angel I guess."

Michael too seemed confused that I would comfort him, but shaking the worries and dust from his boots he looked around face grim. "There's something we need to do before we can return to our time, but Eve… you won't like it."

No. I probably wouldn't, but something told me Michael wouldn't be asking if we had any other options. "What is it?"

"It would be easier for me to show you than tell you," the angel responded with swift movements down the road. "The angels should begin falling any second now and…" just as he finished the first beam of light cascaded through the sky. For the first time I understood what my family said about this night. It was awful in all senses of the word. Beauty mixed with horror as I watched the tearing of wings, but it was what I heard that killed me. Screaming, unadulterated screaming. It was the sound of pure terror resonating at an inhuman pitch. Michael must have seen my cringing face because he spoke again, "Can you hear that Megan, the screaming?" My soul hurt so badly I could only nod in response. "Your family couldn't. Even Cas because he'd become human, but you're one of the special ones. You've been gifted with the burden of hearing the true voice of angels. I'm not surprised though considering…"

"Considering what?" If Michael thought he could keep things from me at this point then…

I didn't get to finish my raging thought before a chucking angel interrupted, "You were destined to be a prophet. Did you know that? We archangels used to rotate on who'd protect the active prophet and you were supposed to be mine. Of course Metatron made it so there would be no new prophets, but that's beside the point. You still have the natural empathy, spirituality, and gifts that prophets get even before they start hearing the word of my Father. You can hear angels when they're speaking within your ear range, and my brothers and sisters are now speaking for the whole world to hear, yet so few could. So many dead. So many dead."

Cas always refused to talk about Metatron, and the look in Michael's eyes told me why. Lucifer was the fallen son, but Metatron is the one who got thousands of angels killed and all of them tortured. He's the brother who turned on his siblings out of jealousy and anger. Metatron was the worst of angels, and they all knew it. Even thinking about that wayward son brought tears to their eyes because he was the mistake that could have been prevented had they only known.

"Enough of that," Michael decided when I noticed him brush a light tear from his pale eyes. "We're here. Megan, I know you have no reason to trust me, but you must. In about a minute an angel is going to come to you and ask if you'd be his vessel… and I need you to say yes."


	10. Chapter 10

I'd apologize for torturing you so, but I torture all my friends. It's how I show my affection.

* * *

Chapter 10

I slapped Michael, and he didn't even flinch. (Oh Chuck I should have known better than to hit an angel. Damn my hand hurt now.) Chuckling softly, he spoke again. "Let me see."

"No way Jose," I told him pulling my most likely broken hand away from the only thing in this time that could fix it. "If you think good looks and some magic healing will make me forget that you want to possess me, than you're a fool."

"You will say yes," Michael told me sounding a bit too much like the archangel for my comfort.

"What are you going to do, give my stomach cancer? Make my brain hemorrhage. Go. Ahead." How could I ever, ever have been so stupid? How did the saying go love makes you blind and you always fall fastest the first time? Whatever it was I'd just found the proof. Michael had begun winning my heart because he was the first person ever in my life who cared about me, who talked to me. And it was all a plan to make me say yes to him.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Michael vow held an unexpected weight to it. "Just hear me out Meg."

"Sure, I'll listen," I told the angel with a scowl plopping down on the wall to hear his ridiculous excuses. "And then you're going to bring me home before I go and find tractor angel and make him do it!"

Michael ignored my flaring temper, but I heard him mutter something about teenagers. "I know you're going to say yes, Megan because for me it's already happened. Any minute now you're going to hear a voice, my voice, asking you to say yes. I'll set the conditions and you'll say yes. In you I'll go to the year 3002 where I found this boy, Rocket, willing to be my permanent vessel. He had only hours to live of cancer, but with me he'll live forever."

"Live forever in agony," I growled thinking of the things Cas had told me Jimmy felt about his possession before the man's soul went with all the others into purgatory. (And hopefully from there to Heaven.)

"Rocket would rather live forever in agony than face what's waiting for him in death. Not even Hell will be kind to a man like him. Think Hitler, but worse." I couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was some validity to Michael's words. After all, for this boy, Rocket, to be Michael's vessel he'd have to be a Winchester somehow or another. I could easily see my family getting to that point in a thousand years. Actually, I was surprised we hadn't already. "It's unjust just for me to keep him from his punishment, but angels are naturally selfish."

"You can say that again," I mumbled before thinking of Cas. He wasn't selfish. Sure, there was arrogance in him once, but never selfishness. Everything he did was for the betterment of mankind a species he didn't even belong to. No, angels were like humans- not naturally anything.

"Megan. You will choose to say yes. I could explain to you the million ways it will hurt and beg you not to say yes, but you would because time is not in flux. If it was we angels would have stopped Lucifer's fall in the first place only minutes after it happened. You will say yes."

Hadn't I always been told that time wasn't in flux? Hadn't I heard stories of how Dean tried to warn his mom and stop everything, but it did nothing. Michael was the reason she forgot. The reason in did nothing.

"What about free will?"

Michael smiled sadly, "There once was a girl. A very human girl. Who put free will plainly. In our lives, we all have choices, but God already knows what those choices will be. Your birth proves that you'll say yes, that you'll make the right choice because if you hadn't… When I was freed from Hell I couldn't have been further from the me you know. I would have found a way to bring every single Winchester back to life if I had to just to have a vessel. You saying yes. You showing me true human goodness in the face of an enemies deserved pain, it's the reason no angels know I'm free. It's the reason I'm going to bring you back to the future and we're going to stop the apocalypse. You're going to say yes, because it's the only moment in my existence I could never forget. It's the day I got my new beginning."

I wanted to yell and scream at Michael. Who was he to tell me what I'd do? He didn't even know me! Yet he had been in my mind, the mind not yet complete. Was it then that he did know me? He must know the way I am right now at least because he felt it. He walked a mile in my shoes, and came out better. How could I keep someone, even someone like Michael, from his second chance?

"Do you hear that?" Michael asked and I only had to nod. It was the sound of a fearsome angel ready to burn everything to the ground... starting with the Winchesters.

"I'm a Winchester," I told the voice in my mind causing the grumbling to stop. "And you're going to possess me, go to the future, find 'Rocket' possess him, and then let me and the future version of you return to our time."

"And you're never to possess her again even if she begs you too," Michael whispered, obviously trying to keep me from hearing, but failing in the task. Even now, in the face of such insanity, Michael was protecting me. Protecting me from the darker side of himself. I had to believe what he said; this is not the same being who wanted to burn the world because his dad said he would.

"You want to be my vessel," the voice asked with a chuckle. "Megan Winchester is to be my vessel?"

Just one simple word, how did it hold so much weight? "Yes."


	11. Chapter 11

Just for reference bold is past!Michael and italics are Megan's thoughts

* * *

Chapter 11

_I'm possessed by my soon to be ex-boyfriend. Whenever I imagined a boy wanting to get in me this was not what I expected. _I didn't know where the thoughts came from, but I wish they hadn't. I could tell Michael felt my thoughts just as I could feel his own. Anger, jealousy, and revenge boiled within the angel, but the confusion shocked me. Michael was confused that I'd said yes without a fight, but he was even more confused that the future version of him was so… alive. The suicide bomber plan he's come up with obviously wasn't going to come to pass, and Michael only wondered why.

**Stop prodding my thoughts.** Maybe your thoughts can't change in volume, but apparently, the thoughts of those possessing you can. Michael seemed pissed, which I actually found kind of ironic considering I was the possessed one. **You volunteered.**

_You don't have to remind me_. I bit back. _But I didn't exactly have a choice. If I hadn't said yes there would have been a major paradox and the universe would have exploded._

**Technically, if you hadn't said yes then I would have been lying when I told you that you said yes, but I guess there aren't many choices in life are there?**

_Oh there are plenty of choices in life. But when angels start telling you your future the choices are decided by what you know._

**Don't you always make decisions based off of what you know?**

_I should hope so. Uninformed decisions generally result in death and destruction. Of course you're realizing that as you probe my memories and trying to distract me with idle banter._

**You are nothing like your father. Dean that is. I can see all my brother in you. **Oh my Chuck. Michael was my adoptive uncle. My adoptive uncle asked me out. and I was just realizing it. **And I'm still unsure why I did that.**

_Probably because you had the foreknowledge from reading my mind and then you didn't have a choice because you already made your choice._

**Angels shouldn't have the ability to travel in time. It defeats the purpose of free will.**

_I disagree. Just because you know the choice you're going to make doesn't mean you don't make a choice. Foreknowledge no more affects your decisions than other knowledge you've been given. And whether you know it or not all your decisions are based off knowledge you've been given._

"Brilliant, isn't she," my Michael noted aloud with a chuckle clearly remembering the conversation well. "And as incredibly odd as it is to see myself possessing the girl I've fallen in love with, you have to go meet this vessel and hold up your promise to Meg. We've both been in her mind enough to know she's not the kind of girl you want to break a vow to."

"You...I'm right." Now that was freaky. It was my voice, but Michael's words. I really wanted him out of me before I was emotionally scared from this endeavor. Or worse.

**You'll be fine. **Michael assured me. **I know that look on his face. He's in love with you and never would have brought you here had he known you'd die.**

_And you know he'd blow a head in the universe for me how…_

**You forget that though decades have passed we still are the same being. He's different from me, that much is obvious, but his loyalty is the same. I had dedicated my loyalty to our father. But it seems he's dedicated his loyalty to you.**

I'm just going to ignore the continuous comments of Michael saying how much he, who isn't him, loved me. (God that made no sense! This was so confusing!) _If before you were both dedicated to God. And he's dedicated to me than who, or what, are you dedicated to now._

**Myself. **

That did not sound good, but I really didn't want to fight the guy in my mind over morals. _Just go and find the evil one so I can go home. _

Past!Michael chuckled and the sound that came out assured that I'd never chuckle again. **Go home to what? How are you to look your fathers in the eye and not tell them that I'm free have been so since Metatron cast the angels from Heaven? **

_Who says I'm not going to tell them. I should tell them that the angel who wants to possess Dean who is also his brother-in-law is back in town._

**Should you? Lying is said to be a sin, but is it so wrong to keep someone in the dark of a truth that will provide only pain and regression? The men in your mind are nothing like the ones I knew. Could you risk them returning to a state of hatred over me. And if they did find out, and they killed me, would you feel justice or pain. **

_Why…why on earth would I feel pain._

**Because he's not the only one whose mind I know. I can see it. You're in love with me even more now that you know the full truth.**

_I'm not in love with you. _Gosh I hoped he could hear the poison in my voice because he deserved it. _Even if I was in love with your future version, which I'm not saying I am, I wouldn't be in love with you. You're selfish, and jealous, and only want revenge. But guess what. I know how this story ends. I know you don't get your vengeance because I'm from a time long into the future. I'm from a world where angels, demons, and humans live in relative peace. Even monsters as a whole have their place. _

**The world you see is so perfect. But it's not going to stay that way for long. My brother got free. He's the reason you're in this time in the first place. And the question begs to stand-what's his end game.**

_Well I'd assume the same as before. To bring about the destruction of everything God created._

**But with that goal he lost, and if there is one thing I know about my brother is that he never keeps a losing tactic. If he's back, and I see he is, then your world is in grave danger. Lucifer has discovered that he needs more than just demons and horsemen to conquer this world. He needs others who have the same goal as him-revenge- and I think I know exactly what he'll try to do.**

If there was anyway Michael really did know what was coming…

**I do.** Can you lie to someone who you're sharing a mind with? I don't think so, but who knows. **Lucifer will look for allies with a personal vendetta. He'll start with Metatron and the Leviathans, but he might even go so far as open limbo and free the souls of demons and angels. How many demons and how many more angels would gladly enact revenge on the Winchesters and Castiel? They personally killed most of the angels in limbo. You had a hard enough time defeating these enemies separate. I do not envy you Megan Winchester, and I do not envy the version of me that knows you. I was here when mankind was created, and now I believe the two of us will see it end. **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Stop scaring her," my Michael chastened himself. "It's not going to be the end of the world Meg, we can assemble an army ourselves to fight back."

"Why do you care so much?" past!Michael growled back. "Why would you help a Winchester after everything they've done."

"You mean everything her parents have done!" my Michael corrected causing a grin to creep on my face. (Or a grin would have crept on my face if I was currently in control of my face.) "You're in her mind this very moment and I think you know very well why I'd help her. You can't fall in love with someone you don't know, but we know Megan far better than anyone else. It doesn't take long to fall in love with Megan Winchester."

"Oh great," past!Michael gibed. "I think you've killed her."

_Shut up Michael. I'm fine. _Okay, no I wasn't. The boyfriend I was about to break up with because I didn't know him at all just said he was in love with me because he knew me completely… and he actually did.

**You know him just as well now. You could look and see any moment of his existence and know him in every way possible.**

_All I can see if you._ I bit back. _The moments of his existence that matter are the ones you haven't lived yet. The ones that will turn you, into him._

** Do you, love him?**

Okay. So Technically Michael just asked me if I loved him, but at the same time he didn't… yikes this was a bit confusing… _No. I don't love Mike._

** But he's everything you've ever imagined in a guy. **How do you defend yourself from someone who can see your every thought? **You don't love him, but you will. And we both know it. **

_You need to stop fighting with the voices in your head and get a new head._ I told the angel coldly. _Before you end up fighting a very protective and very angry version of yourself._

Somehow, though I couldn't see it, I knew past!Michael was grinning. **I knew you knew us. **

I considered throwing back that I only knew the corrupt Michael, but decided instead to just drop it. There really was no use fighting with someone you can't escape.

**I see why he likes you. You're so obedient. **

Oh no he didn't. _I am not obedient. I'm just a pacifist, or as close to one as a hunter can get. _

**Whatever. Let's just go and find Rocket Winchester before he kills any more innocents.**

Actually that was just what Rocket was doing when we found him. His dark hair and brilliant blue eyes stood flickering behind the flames his enemies held themselves above by only the tips of their fingers. A searing anger rose within me when I saw the squalor these people faced. My Michael, who clearly felt the same way, had the 'enemies', who upon closer look were only teenagers, back on the ground before I could blink an eye. Rocket stood enamored, and when he spoke his words made me glad Michael had come back. Even facing Lucifer couldn't be worse than the hell this boy, my descendent, would reign down upon the earth if left unchecked. Maybe Metatron did do something good.

"You're an angel, aren't you? Because that's Megan Winchester and she's been dead for centuries."

Okay. I wasn't sure what was creepier, that Rocket would smile while everyone burned, or that he knew my face. What could I possibly do to still be remembered this far into the future, even by my family.

"I am the archangel Michael," (Still creepy to hear my voice and his words). "And yes, this is your great, great, great, great, great aunt Megan. She agreed to be my vessel until I could come and get you."

"Why me?" Rocket didn't sound scared, or frustrated, or really anything. His voice was even, and I began to wonder if he even did feel emotions.

**No. **Michael informed me to my shock. **Rocket doesn't have a soul and you'll have to ask your Michael to know why. **

"It has to be you Rocket, because you're the only one who wants this," my Michael (who was already in a future version of Rocket). "You want the power of angelic blood. You want to feel the fire for all of eternity, because that's what you thrive on. Fire and destruction. And that's what he, what I, have to offer," future!Michael answered calmly.

There really was a fire in his eyes when Rocket opened his mouth and spoke, "Well then. I'll gladly take your power and I'll gladly be your vessel."

The transference of power was almost immediate. I'd imagined I'd feel lighter with Michael gone, but a deep heaviness settled upon me when I went to blink and my eyelids actually moved.

"Are you okay?" though they looked identical, I knew that this Michael was my Michael. Actually, the other Michael had already disappeared.

"Where did he go?" I coughed out. "He just disappeared."

"It doesn't matter," my Michael answered pulling my face tight into his chest. "He's gone to think about what you showed him. Rocket and him are very compatible right now because they're both on fire inside. Eventually the flame will die thought, and he'll be the one you see before you. Maybe not better, but certainly different.

"You are better," I told Michael. At some point I'd realized I didn't need to forgive him because I was never angry. I could see the Michael before me, and I could see that he was exactly what he should be. A good Michael. My Michael.

"Let's get you home," he whispered before a touch sent us whooshing back to my time. We stood just far enough from my house that Cas couldn't pick up on him, but also close enough for me to not freeze (or get attacked again) walking back.

"What are we going to do about Lucifer?"

His face clearly displayed that he didn't want to talk about his brother, but he really didn't have a choice. "For now, nothing." I went to fight, but he stopped me. "Tonight you sleep and I try to gather info. I'll see who Lucifer has on his side, and try to get some allies for ourselves…"

"We have to tell my family. And you have to be there when we do."

"I know Meg," he told me sadly. "But I'm not ready to face my little brother yet. Gabriel and I took care of Castiel's garrison when they were only fledglings, and I hurt him. I need to figure out how to redeem myself before you tell him. Promise me you'll keep it secret until tomorrow."

Maybe they were my family, but Cas was Michael's too and it should be him to tell them he was free. "Fine. But Mike, if you're really sorry he will forgive you. Look at Sam and Dean and all the times they've fought each other and forgiven each other. Family is forgiveness and you just have to show them you're worthy of that forgiveness."

"You make it seem so easy Meg," Michael sighed. "But Sam and Dean are far from the normal brothers. I will talk to my brother, but not tonight. I need some time."

Something (maybe having been in his head) told me that Michael would take far too long if left to his own devices. "You have until Lucifer has Metatron and Dick Roman on his side. If by then you're not ready to come clean I will."

"You're very good at pushing me to my limits, you know that, right."

"You're the one who possessed me," I told him with a little grin, before turning around and noticing he too had disappeared out of sight.


	13. Chapter 13

I'm back! Don't know how often I'll update because I still have major writers block, but I'm trying. If you like it drop me a review it really does help me get my fingers on the keyboard.

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Chapter 13

I'd promised Michael I would not tell my family what I knew, but oh was it hard. Sam, Cas, and Dean all were looking for an explanation as to why I'd been out so late but I had nothing to say to them. How do you look someone in the eye knowing what I knew? Forget Michael Lucifer, LUCIFER, was back in town and had already come after me once. What was I doing lying in bed!

As if feeling my anxiety even from the distance a text came through from Michael. **Michael:** **Don't worry about my brother. He's much too busy opening Limbo to come after you again.**

** You: HE'S OPENING LIMBO ARE YOU KIDDING ME HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SLEEP KNOWING THAT EVERY SINGLE ANGEL AND DEMON EVER KILLED IS ABOUT TO FLOOD BACK INTO THE WORLD WITH A VENDETTA!**

** Michael: Chill Meg. He won't be letting every single angel and demon back. He's looking for allies.**

** You: Oh. So he's not freeing everybody, just the ones who personally hate everyone I care about. Fun.**

** Michael: Think on the bright side. **

** You: I'm waiting for you to show me the bright side.**

** Michael: Yeah well that's going to be difficult because I can't find one.**

Oh great.

**You: Remind me again why I'm not telling my family this and praying to God that we don't all die considering they almost (or did) die the first time around fighting these guys separate never mind united.**

**Michael: I wonder if my father would help… no. He wouldn't.**

Ah angels and their daddy issues.

**You: Look. We don't need the almighty Chuck's help. There's you, me, Sam, Dean, Cas…**

**Michael: If Sam or Dean reaches out to him, Crowley will help us. Gosh I never thought I'd see a demon's help as a good thing.**

**You: You're right though, Crowley will help, and you know who else will help but it's going to be up to you to find.**

**Michael: Gabriel. You mean Gabriel don't you.**

I nodded as I quickly typed back a reply. **You: Yup. You need to put on your big boy panties and talk to your family. Maybe not all the angels in Heaven, but Gabriel kind of likes us…**

**Michael: He went into Hell over 300 times just to prank Sam. **Yeah…he did, didn't he? I'd never forget the first time I heard the story of the mystery spot and realized that since Dean had already made his deal every time Gabriel killed Dean Gabriel then had to go to Hell to bring him back to life.

**Michael: Are you sure that's considered liking?**

**You: Okay. Maybe he doesn't "like" us, but he does respect humanity and wouldn't like to see it eaten or whatever these monsters have planned. **

**Michael: Only the leviathans would want to see you eaten, and I don't think my brother has made it to Purgatory yet. **

**You: Do you think he plans on it? You mentioned him getting Dick before.**

I could almost feel the angel's sigh though the phone. **Michael: I wouldn't put it past him. He wants an army and an army he will form.**

**You: I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to sleep knowing what I do. **

**Michael: Think of it this way. Even before Lucifer crawled his way up here there were hundreds of demons and vampires and shape shifters all ready to murder you. Now there's just a few more monsters ready to come and help them.**

Leave it to Michael to downplay the second apocalypse and make it seem so… normal.

**You: You realize that all that made me do was wonder how I slept these past 15 years.**

**Michael: Good night Meg. I promise you're safe for the night. **I believed that. Knowing him (and I'd been in his head so I did know him) Michael was standing right outside the range at which Castiel could recognize him.

**You: Night Michael.**

Thinking our conversation done, I went to brush my teeth only to returned to a blinking phone. Curious as to what else Michael had said I opened the text despite my exhaustion.

**Michael: I love you.**

I didn't send anything back and was only glad he wouldn't know I'd opened the text. How do you even respond to that? Sure, the Michael that possessed me had mentioned how in love my Michael was, but he, himself, had never explicitly uttered those words before. How do you respond when someone says I love you and you still barely know them?

Sure, I wanted to get to know Mike. I wanted that more than anything really, but I wasn't in love with him. Not yet.

Still, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that if we survived this war I would be.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Michael didn't show up for school the next day. (Not that I could care or anything. I just wanted to see if he had any news on what Lucifer was up to.) The second Apocalypse was upon us; I really didn't have time to be thinking about my technical boyfriend. Especially not when the boyfriend in question was the archangel Michael!

Despite having been his vessel, my mind still seemed incapable of wrapping itself around the fact that he was an ancient angel. For Pete's sake I'd been praying the prayer of St. Michael in school every day for years! (Though I'll admit, when my religion teacher told us to recite it today, I chuckled a bit. Now I understood why Michael didn't say it the other day. Now that must be awkward.)

At the same time I denied it, however, I didn't know why it was so hard to believe. I'd known Gabriel for years; he loved just to show up and give my parents a hard time. I saw nothing weird in having him around and he too was in the Bible. I'd been raised by an angel, so why was it so hard to reconcile my Michael with the fearsome beast of Revelations?

The only logical reason I could come up with was the scariest-if Michael was an archangel then there was no way we could ever work out. If we were even both to survive this fight, which is unlikely, we couldn't just be a normal couple. Every angel and demon will know Michael's back in town; they won't just let him live the life of a normal human. Castiel got away with it because every angel either hated him or worshiped him. When it came to Michael I was pretty sure every angel just hated him.

BREAK

"Megan," I heard Michael call from across the parking lot once classes ended. He stood by a brand new motor cycle an extra helmet in his hand. Despite the freezing cold temperatures, I knew I'd be warm pressed against the angel and accepted his offer. Until I noticed we weren't heading in the direction of my house.

"Michael, where are you taking me?" I grumbled exasperated. "I thought we agreed to go and talk to my family about this. They need to know and YOU, not me, needs to be the one to tell them."

Michael, ancient archangel Michael, sounded like a two year old when he responded, "I was going to try and talk Gabriel into helping us. I figured he likes you so maybe he'll listen."

"That's a brilliant idea," I conceded, "And something we can do AFTER we go and talk to my parents."

Michael sighed, but true to his word, the bike spun across the yellow line and fled down the streets towards my house. To his great disgruntlement, Sam and my dads were shoveling out the Impala when we pulled onto the street. Dean moved to lecture me about riding a bike in this weather, when Castiel noticed the one driving.

"Meg step away from him that's…"

"The archangel Michael," I finished with a nodding head. "And he's my boyfriend."

No one seemed to care that I approved of Michael, they just heard his name and fled towards us angel blades in hand. Michael didn't want to hurt them, I knew him well enough to know that, but they did all land with a thud when he knocked them backwards. "Please, just listen to me. I'm not here to hurt you or Meg. I'm here because I'm free, and I think you know what that means."

"Lucifer," Sam trembled realizing we really did have a bigger problem than Michael. "You fell into the Cage after me. If you're free than that means Lucifer is too."

"He is," I whispered knowing I was going to be in so much trouble for not telling them last night. "Yesterday, when I didn't get home until late it was because I'd gone out to get ice cream with Michael and we were attacked, by Lucifer. It's only because of Michael that I'm alive so please Dean, don't plunge that angel blade into him." If my dad thought I didn't notice him preparing to throw he really was a fool. "I know you don't like this. You have very legitimate reasons for not liking this, but can we please put the past behind us for one minute so you can hear what Michael has to say? Because Lucifer isn't our only problem."

Cas seemed to know what I meant, but from the look on Sam and Dean's faces he hadn't shared his worries. "There's been talk on angel radio about Limbo and Purgatory being opened. That's Lucifer's doing?"

"Yes, brother."

The title was spoken so softly only Cas, with his angelic hearing, and me, standing besides Michael, could ever hear it. Yet there was so much more in the word than a declaration of what they once were. There was an apology, and desperation. Michael was desperate for Cas to forgive him, because if Castiel couldn't then no one could.

"We should go inside," Cas muttered leading the way. "Meg go wait in your room we'll deal with you later."

"No way in Hell, Heaven, Purgatory, or Limbo am I leaving you guys alone with Michael! You won't attack him with me around and he doesn't deserve to be attacked, so I'm staying."

"Megan," Dean growled, but I wasn't having any of it. Exploding with all the fear of the past two days, the ground tremored at my words.

"DON'T YOU SEE? LUCIFER CAME AFYER ME! NOT MICHAEL, NOT YOU, ME! MAYBE IT'S JUST BECAUSE HE WANTED REVENGE ON YOU, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT. LUCIFER WANTS SOMETHING FROM ME WHICH MEANS THIS IS MY FIGHT JUST AS MUCH AS IT IS YOURS!"

Everyone stood in shock at my outburst, but eventually Michael just broke into a chuckled laughter, "I think the great Megan Winchester has spoken and we'd be fools to ignore her. If my brother thinks winning will be easy he shook take one look at her and know that our feud has brought about great danger in the form of a 5 foot 2 girl."

"I'm not a girl," I reminded my boyfriend stalking into the house. "I'm a Winchester."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Air keeps you alive, unless there are two angels and two very pissed hunters gathered in a room. Then the air, like everything else, is deadly.

Michael stood by the backdoor with a cocked knee while Uncle Sam, Dean, and Cas bunched together on the couch scowling. I considered going over and standing by Michael, if only to show my support for him, but a single look at my family said that would only make this worse. They didn't trust Michael, and they hated how much I did.

"Why don't you start at the beginning," I prompted with a cough. "Just tell them what you told me, Mike."

"When Metatron used your grace to expel the angels from Heaven the spell found Lucifer and me in Hell too and opened the Cage. Since there were no secondary things to keep me down there, I flew right up here. I'll admit it; I was looking for you. You'd tricked me and I spent a long time in Hell. You don't forgive that easily. I was looking for you when suddenly two figures appear in front of me-Meg and a future version of me." I tried to get Michael to realize mentioning how he used me as a vessel wasn't a good idea, but he's an angel. They're all clueless when it comes to body clues, so I jumped in.

"Lucifer had just found us and Mike teleported me back in time to when the angels were falling. He explained to me how he got the vessel you see now from the future, and I agreed to be used as a vessel until he got Rocket."

"You tricked her into saying yes," Dean growled ready to attack, but Cas held him back. The angel knew his brother; he knew Mike. Trickery is not his style.

I shook my head, "He didn't trick me. I knew who he was and I knew what he wanted. It was my choice and I made the right one. Michael possessed me, got his new vessel and left."

"It was an incredibly stupid thing to do," Castiel reminded me not as a father, but as an angel. "Still, continue the story."

Michael smiled briefly as if his brother's words were hope. And maybe they were. "I considered going and fighting Metatron himself, but I looked at the Heaven I'd led and realized it was no better. Maybe even worse. I kept a low profile waiting for the day I'd meet Megan again. I knew that meeting Meg meant Lucifer being free, so when she found me outside the other day I knew the worst had started. I befriended her, because your daughter is a genuinely good person, and I waited for my brother to rear his head. Then he did, and now we're here."

My family seemed incapable of words, so I finished with the terrifying news. "The problem is Lucifer knows he can't beat you alone. He's recruiting others as we speak in hope that together your enemies can do what they couldn't alone. He even opened Limbo so the dead angels and demons could walk free."

Dean's eyes were tight when he spoke, "But why are you here? Looking for your brother to restart the Apocalypse."

"I don't want the Apocalypse," Michael swore. "I don't want to fight my brother and I want to protect humanity. When I saw Megan's mind I realized how wrong I was about mankind. Our father made you for a reason, and you need our protection. I should have realized that earlier, but now I can only try to make it up to you. Please give me a second chance to prove how sorry I am. I wronged my brothers, I wronged mankind, but mostly I wronged the three of you."

"You tortured me in Hell," Sam spit to everyone's surprise. He'd never given the full details of what went on down in the Cage, but we knew it was bad. "You and Lucifer tortured me and Adam day in and day out just for laughs."

"Speaking of which what happened to Adam when you got free?" Dean growled. He'd never admit it, but I knew he felt responsible for the kid. After all, if Dean had just said yes Adam wouldn't have spent half a millennium in the Cage as an archangel toy.

No one else would notice it, but I knew Mike well enough to see the flash of guilt in his eyes for what it was-regret. "When I possessed Megan his body was dead and I finally got to fulfill my promise. He's back in Heaven with his mom where he deserves to be. Has been for about 20 years. I even took the time to bury him, though I know it's less than he deserved."

"And this new vessel, does he deserve this?" Uncle Sam fumed.

This time I answered, "He's horrible. There's no soul in him, none at all. He's just a monster. If Michael didn't need him as a vessel I'd have hunted him myself."

"Rocket Winchester," Cas mumbled causing me to remember that he really was an angel and would have known of all possible Michael vessels. "Meg is right, he's worse than anything imaginable. A fitting vessel for Lucifer too."

"What is he doing for a vessel?" Sam trembled. "I mean I didn't free him this time, Metatron did so does that mean he's the vessel? Can angels be vessels?"

Michael cast a look at Cas probably thinking of Hael when he replied, "Unless the angel is graceless, no. There would be no destined vessel but I suspect…"

"Michael," he never stopped in the middle of the sentence unless it was something he didn't want me to hear. "What do you suspect?"

"I swear I was going to tell you, Meg. Honestly I'm not trying to keep secrets from you. From any of you. It's just I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily unless I was sure."

"Cas," Dean bit. "What's he talking about?"

"Michael and Lucifer, being the two most powerful angels, need the most powerful need the same vessels. Lucifer will find someone for a short time, but now that he knows Meg exists he's going to be looking for her."


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry for disappearing on you guys, but I've been obsessing over Merlin while procrastinating watching the end of Merlin… those of you in the fandom get what I'm talking about. Never mind though I should be updating all week except Friday 'cause it's my sweet 16 and I'm gonna be busy. Enjoy and REVIEWS ARE LIKE AIR TO ME SO PLEASE REVIEW.

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Chapter 16

"But it's not like we really have to worry about that," I awkwardly stammered. "I mean if anything it's a good thing, right. He's not going to hurt me and it's not like I'm going to say yes because that didn't end well last time so…"

Dean wasn't listening to me though. His face was bright red, and everyone but Michael knew him well enough to duck. Michael, being oblivious to the man's habits, didn't move in time and ended up with a tissue box in his chest because when Dean gets mad he throws things. (Hey, it's better than what he used to do which was kill things.) "Why can't he leave us alone?" His scream wasn't one of anger, but one of agony. Dean was legitimately scared and that worried me more than anything else I'd heard in the last 2 days.

Castiel shrugged before placing a calming hand on his husband's leg, "He can't, Dean. He needs us if he's to survive long in this world. We can use that to our advantage."

Sam, who'd been quite when hearing how destiny wished to repeat itself, finally spoke with a sigh, "Megan's right though, Lucifer hunted me but he always was pretty fair about it. I knew his intentions just as Meg does. So long as she doesn't say yes and he can't find us, we're good."

Biting my lip, I conceded sadly, "We need to get to the bunker. He knows I'm in town and he'll be back soon. We need to go like now." I didn't want to leave the town, but I didn't have a choice now. It wasn't safe to stay where Lucifer knew I was. If he really was after me, which seemed likely, then we needed to get someplace safe. The bunker was impossible to track so if we hid out there while coming up for a plan we should all be safe. My family nodded before leaving to pack. Without even realizing it, Michael and I had been left alone.

I didn't realize my feel were moving until I rested in the angel's strong arms. We didn't speak, for there was nothing to be said, but the gentle protection he provided was all I needed. I didn't care about what happened last time or who he was. I really, really liked Michael and he loved me. What more could I possibly want?

"Meg, it's gonna be okay," he whispered pushing the stray hairs from my eyes. "If you give me the coordinates of the bunker I can go get Gabriel and then meet you there. We can do this Meg; we will win."

"Mike," my words were soft as a breezy wind when I spoke. "It doesn't matter who we have; there's no way to kill Lucifer without you roasting the planet."

Michael pushed me away so he could look me in the eyes when he responded to my terrified words, "Alone it would take much for me to overpower him, but I'm not trying to fight him alone this time. We can start by killing everyone else Lucifer brings back, and in the end his vessel will be so weak it won't matter who he is. It's just a waiting game."

I wanted to believe Michael just as he wanted to believe himself, but it was hard. So many factors came in and so many people wanted us dead. I couldn't help but wonder if there were enough allies in all of time and space to defeat the vengeful monsters coming after me and my family. Forget taking over the world, they wanted revenge. They had a new drive that would only end with either them or us in the grave.

"Megan, can I talk with you for a minute?" Uncle Sam interrupted with a cough. I nodded and with a brief kiss Michael left to find us help. Sam, waited a minute to be sure the angel was gone before leading me out on the back porch. Sitting in the melting snow, neither of us seemed to care how wet we'd be. Trees to block viewing from the road had been planted by my dads so here we could be safe from prying eyes of man and monster alike. This little back yard had been my favorite place in the entire town; I'd truly miss it's peace.

Somehow, I knew what this was going to be about even before my Uncle spoke. He cared not for Michael, who I'd be lectured on, because he was the only person who knew what it was like to be wanted by the devil.

"Meg," the man began softly, "I don't care what everyone else says, you should be scared." That was good then because I certainly was. "Lucifer is more powerful than you can possibly imagine and it doesn't matter who he brings back-this won't end well. Lucifer won't lie to you, but that doesn't mean he's being honest. He likes to make people think there are no options by giving them the easy option. No matter what you can't take his easy option. We can keep you physically away from him with ease, but we can't hide your mind. Lucifer will come in your dreams. He'll make it seem like the smart thing to do would be choose his path. And maybe that would be the smart thing to do, but it's not the right. Whatever you do Meg, don't trust him."

"You don't have to worry," I promised with a weak smile. "I'm not going to say yes. He can't convince me that it's a good idea because it's a stupid one."

Sam sighed, "Meg, that's what worries me. I said the same thing. I never considered that I would say yes until I did. Megan, me saying yes worked. Maybe it didn't keep him away forever, but it kept him away for a long, long time. It worked Meg, but there was a price. I paid with myself. I lost myself to him and that's not something you get back. Promise me Megan that you won't make the same decisions I did. Promise me that you won't let this change you."

I stood and kissed my Uncle on the cheek and opened the door to go back inside before realizing how I needed to reply, "I can't promise this won't change me because it already has, but I will not say yes to Lucifer. Not now, and not ever."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It was really late when we arrived at the Men of Letter's Bunker in Lebanon, so I plopped into bed without even changing. Tomorrow, we'd make plans. Tomorrow, we'd fight. Right now, I'd sleep.

"Hey, Megan, wake up."

I jerked up at the sound of Michael's voice in my ear. He sat on the bed besides me an impish grin lining his face and ….nothing lining his chest. "What are you doing in here," I giggled pressing against his warm skin. "My dads are gonna kill you in they find you in here."

"Then why don't we head someplace else. Pick a place, anyplace, and I'll meet you there," the boy suggested with a raised eyebrow and kiss on my forehead. Laughing I sat up and planted a kiss on his lips before shaking my head.

"I'm tired. And shouldn't we be worrying about bigger things, like your brother maybe?"

The angel frowned before pulling me tight next to him, "I don't think we should worry about my brother. I think we should just be one."

I flipped my head to look at the young man sitting beside me. He looked like Michael, or how Michael looked in Rocket, but there was something about his stance, something about the way he spoke…

"Get away from me you son of a bitch," I cried backing against the wall and grabbing the pistol my parents kept in each side table. Shooting him would do nothing, but a nice whack with the butt should be enough to keep him far, far away. "I know who you are, and I know what you want. There's no need to put up pretenses."

"Don't be that way Meg," Lucifer scolded. "This is what I really look like… okay, that's a lie, but you don't want to see my true form and this," he motioned to the body identical to Rocket's, "Is my current vessel. It's kind of a long story, but let's say Rocket's not entirely human. More of a soulless clone used to strike fear in the hearts of well… everyone. This man, Sebastian, is the person who the clones are modeled after. Soulless people are no good to me because without a soul you can't feel anger and I need anger. Anger like the kind that dwells in your pretty, little heart."

Lucifer was wrong. I wasn't angry. I wasn't an angry person… I… I liked peace.

"You can fool yourself but you don't fool me," the angel sang. "You're just a little ball of hate. You hate angels. You hate demons. You hate monsters…. You hate man. Teenagers! I should have looked to them as vessels ages ago. So much pent up rage; I love it!"

"You're not really here," I reminded myself more than anything. "That's why you wanted me to pick a location; you need a way to find me."

Lucifer scowled confirming what I already knew, "Yes that tricky bit of Enochian on those ribs makes your body hard to find. Your mind however, you'd give it up to anyone wandering past."

"I'm not going to say yes," I vowed. "So screw off."

Lucifer's laugh is the kind to send chills down your heart. It's the kind that reminds you that Sam said the same thing and ended up in Hell as the prom dress of the devil. "Say that all you want, Sam sure did, but in the end you will. And then I will crush my brother who won't dare hurt me because I'm in you. He really does love you, and it will be that love that destroys him."

I was done with the devil's mind games, so focusing on the faces of those who I knew were real and near me, I shut my eyes and woke myself up.

* * *

Unable to fall back asleep and risk facing Lucifer again, I dressed and decided to head to the library. The first Apocalypse had been long over before they found this bunker, so maybe there was something, anything, to be found that could help us. Just as I stepped outside my door I caught sight of the man leaning against the wall and wanted to cry. No! _You need to wake up Meg!_

"Megan," he whispered moving closer, but I didn't care who he wasn't actually here anymore. My knuckles connected rapidly to his stomach as I smoke hoarsely.

"Get away from me get away from me no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" I cried not letting the man get in a word edgewise. Cas, Sam, and Dean must have heard my cries because they came running. _No, dream Cas, Sam and Dean_, I had to remind myself. _None of this is real; he can't hurt you._

"Meg, it's me, Michael," the boy replied but I didn't believe him. Lucifer had pretended to be Michael before as he tried to pass off possessing me as consent to sex. I wasn't falling for this again.

"You're not real you're not real!" I cried until my family switched from attacking the boy to pulling me off him. "I know who you are you aren't real!"

"What the Hell is going on!" Dean cried as he struggled to hold my fury back.

Michael ducked trying to avoid my swing, but I didn't hear his words because Cas placed a gentle hand on my forehead and everything went black.

* * *

The world was fuzzy when I came too again, but I managed to make out the conversation going on around me. "I think she thought I was Lucifer," Mike gargled (though looking back he probably was speaking normally and my mind did the gargling.) "Our vessels… they look very similar."

"But how does she even know what his vessel looks like," I heard Dean growl until Sam spoke up softly.

"Dreams. She was probably dreaming about Lucifer… he likes to do that. Gets into your head, makes you see things, doubt things…"

Dean's voice became clearer in his fury, "He did this to you too? And you never thought to mention it?"

"It's not like it would make a difference!" the brother hurled back. "He didn't know where I was and if he's doing this to Meg instead of attacking he doesn't know where she is anyway."

Since the world had stopped spinning, I sat upon and prepared to face the questions behind the concerned faces. "Hey, you okay?" Mike asked squeezing my hand gently.

"Yeah," I told him with a nod I soon regretted. (Damn did my head hurt.) "Sorry for you know… hitting you."

"I say hit him whenever you feel like it," Dean suggested causing me to smile. "You good?"

"Honestly, I'm fine," I lied. "Except for the raging headache. Did you knock me out with angel mojo?"

"Sorry," my angelic father replied with a grimace. "But you looked ready to tear Michael's face off."

Unsure what else to say, I just nodded. I mean, what do you say in a case like this?

"You need to like dye your hair or something," I told my boyfriend with a huff. "Give us some way to tell the difference between you and your clone."

Michael, for some odd reason, (maybe because he's Michael), laughed, "Technically Rocket's the clone of Lucifer's vessel, but I'll see what I can do because your punches hurt."

"Her daddy taught her well," Dean, who probably would never forgive Michael, reminded proudly.

"Since we're all up anyway," Castiel interjected dropping a sense of darkness around us. "Michael and I might as well tell you what we've been up to."

"And let Mikey take all the fun?" A familiar voice called. "Pass. Hey boys, did you miss me?"


	18. Chapter 18

Hi guys, glad to know you're still enjoying. I probably won't get to update for a few days because tomorrow is my Sweet 16 and I'm going to be eating Chocolate and converting my friend to the ways of Supernatural now she's done with Doctor Who. Sorry, but not really because I'm excited.

* * *

Chapter 18

"What, no porn?" Dean teased with a pat on the angel's back. "What have you been up the past decade?"

Gabriel shrugged, "Oh I've been here and there… but not dead of course. Nothing can kill me."

"Don't tempt me Gabe or I might just have to test that," Michael's banter shocked me because despite everything the angels don't act like siblings. Remembering that some of them did know each other, and raise other fledglings such as my dad, was an odd thought. But remembering the last living archangel shocked me back into my senses. Unfortunately, we weren't gathered for pie and drinks.

Gabriel only scoffed as if the idea of anyone, even Michael, getting the jump on him was ridiculous. "So Meggy, what on earth would possess you to date my brother?" the angel asked with a grin. "Oh wait, him."

"It just so happens I like your brother Gabriel, so you can shut up," I suggested with a smile. I liked Gabriel, I did, but if I had to pick a brother it would be my dad first, Michael second, and Gabriel in a far last place.

Gabriel, however, didn't really care. With a friendly hair tussle, he spoke again, "Love your spirit hun. You always were my favorite Winchester."

"The problem is she seems to be every angel's favorite Winchester," Dean scoffed and the light tone dissipated from the room.

I was just about to ask where we went from here, when I heard a chilling voice speaking loudly over angel radio. (And yes, my first reaction was to freak out because since when did I hear angel radio? Since I was possessed by an angel probably.)

"Brothers and sisters, you have been told I am trapped away, lost forever, but I am not. I am here today with the angel who freed me, Metatron. And now I look to you and ask DID YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE?" Lucifer boomed. "I gave you the option to stand with me against our father, but you chose to fight me. Look where that got you! Our father gone for decades. Michael freed but hiding from you and Gabriel doing the same. You have no leader and no power. We are angels; yet, we take orders from hunters. You have been wronged as I was wronged, but unlike our "God" I will give you a second chance. Change your minds, stand with me, and you will thrive. Resist and you will not only fail, but you will crumble. You are my family and I do not wish to harm you, but if you fight you will die." Not a single angel spoke as the fallen morning star offered his chilling conclusion.

Dean shook his head when his brother finally broke our silence, "No one would be that insane right? I mean no one would follow Lucifer… he's Lucifer!"

But he was somebody. There'd been an unofficial cease-fire for longer than I'd been alive, but I knew enough to know Heaven was in disarray. The angels lived as soldiers for too long; they had no idea how to use the free will they'd been given. They'd followed Metatron just to follow somebody, and despite his bad history, Lucifer was an archangel. If anyone had the power to bring angels back to a height it was Lucifer, but at what price? He'd tear the world apart and he wanted to use me to do it.

"Some will follow him," Castiel admitted with a sigh, "But I don't think all will. Not if they see us fighting."

Michael shook his head confusing everyone but his brothers, "No. No way. I was a terrible leader. You should do it Castiel; they respect you."

"They fear me," my father countered. "I'm no leader and I'm no soldier. I'm just a man with grace."

"You're an angel," Dean whispered softly into his husband's ear. "And you can't forget it."

I couldn't help but agree with Cas. I loved my dad, really, but he was no leader. Michael held the ranks of Heaven together for millennium; he could do it again. "Michael, it has to be you. You have to speak to them, gather their loyalties. The angels don't have a choice when Lucifer is the only option. Speak to them, plead with them, do whatever you have to do to make sure they don't start fighting. We can't focus on fighting Lucifer if we're trying to protect mankind from feuding angels. Get them to stay in Heaven and let us deal with this."

"Meg," the angel whispered cupping my face in his hand. "It's not that easy."

Looking into the angels dark eyes I tried to imagine the magnificent figure inside. No matter how he looked or acted, Michael was the Archangel and he had a responsibility to his family and my world to be a leader. "Mike. You have to make it that easy."

"I'd rather be here protecting you," the angel answered with a chuckle not even caring about the assembly of both our families.

"We're not about to let her get hurt," Dean vowed looking at his old enemy. "She's my daughter and if anything thinks they're getting near her they're a fool. Go and help your family and leave me to help mine."


	19. Chapter 19

I swear this is the last chapter of explaining. Next chapter things will get really fun.

* * *

Chapter 19

Seven hours and 40 minutes later, Michael returned looking as if he'd just escaped from Hell, again. The man plopped down on the couch where I'd been curled up head pounding from exhaustion, and almost subconsciously laid his hand on mine.

"How'd it go," Dean finally asked shattering the heavy silence.

Michael sighed with a shrug, "Could have been worse. Most of the angels weren't too pleased I hadn't come right back and helped them with Metatron, but I think those loyal to Heaven will still follow me." No one wanted to ask just how many were still loyal; we all feared the worst. It wouldn't matter who we had on our side. If Lucifer had all the angels, all the demons, and all the monsters, we'd lose and we'd die.

"One third," Michael finally conceded and I wanted to cry. If only one third of the angels stood with us… "One third chose Lucifer that is. I shouldn't be surprised, not when the stories all said that many went with Lucifer the first time despite the fact he fell alone."

"Well not alone, alone," Gabriel reminded us. "He took you humans down with him, but no angels."

Squeezing Michael's hand tightly, I tried to reassure my family, "But this is good, right? We have more angels on our side. We have more archangels on our side, and I'd guarantee we have more hunters on our side than Lucifer ever could get…"

"Lucifer still had the demons," ever-the-pessimist-Dean interjected. "And there's a lot of them."

"Lucifer doesn't have all the demons." I turned to find the King of Hell(who probably was more like "first on Lucifer's hit list" at the moment) standing behind me. "Hello boys, what mess have you gotten us into this time?"

Michael threw his hands in the air, "You don't honestly expect me to work with a demon, right?"

Flinching slightly, I reminded Michael of what he seemed to have forgotten, "Well you did work with demons before. You used Lilith to break the seals so you could have your Apocalypse. Now we're going to use a different demon to end it. We need all the help we can get; you said it yourself, Mike."

"But a demon?" the angel complained looking between (a highly amused) Crowley and me.

"Don't be like that," Crowley pouted. "At least I have experience fighting everyone we've got to deal with. By the way, Moose, Squirrel, were either of you planning on warning me about Lilith showing up at my door this morning?"

A flurry of curses quickly ensued answering Crowley's question; we hadn't even known Lilith was free. "Anyone else we should be on the lookout for?" I asked hoping that there would be some nice names on the list.

"That whore who fed Sam demon blood…" Crowley began until my uncle interrupted looking murderous.

"Ruby? Why would Lucifer bring back Ruby?"

"She was in deeper than we ever knew," Dean reminded his brother. "Also, we killed her with her own knife so she has a personal vendetta against us."

"I was talking about Azazel," Crowley interjected with a snort. "But yeah I heard Ruby's out too. Oh and Abbadon is no loner Abbadead and that's going to be a problem considering you exploded the First Blade to break the Mark's hold and turn Dean human again."

Dean clearly didn't like the idea that he'd become a demon for nothing, but he just shook his head. "Any good news?"

"Manners squirrel. I wasn't done yet. Ran into a few Leviathans on my way over, so we can figure our friend Dick got free."

Okay, we could still do this. My parents and uncle had only died about twenty three times between the resurrected monsters. Nothing to worry about.

Oh who was I kidding? We were screwed! So we had 2/3rds of the angels, Gabriel, Michael and Crowley on our side; we were still horribly outmatched and completely doomed.

"We've had worse odds before," Dean attempted with a laugh that needless to say fell short. "I mean if an archangel blade can kill Lucifer it must be able to kill most things and we have what three of those?"

Castiel nodded, "I stole Raphael's after I killed him and then Gabriel and Michael each have their own. Lucifer's was lost when he fell, but I might just be able to find it. Balthazar gave me a stockpile of all of Heaven's weapons and I'd bet it would be in there…. We just have to get it."

Okay, we had a goal, so we could have a plan. That's all we needed; a plan to survive. A plan to fight. We could do this so long as we didn't give up hope. I could do this so long as I didn't give up hope.

"We're going to need a distraction if we're to get to those weapons though," Sam reminded. "Last time Balthazar sent us to an alternate universe just to put everyone on a wild goose chase. We'll need something at least as good."

"I have an idea," I timidly squeaked. "But you're not going to like it at all."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Number of times someone who cared about me said "Hell no": 40.

Number of better plans anyone came up with: 0.

No one liked it, Hell, I didn't like it, but my plan really was a solid one. Lucifer would expect it to be a trap, so he'd focus all his forces around me. He'd never consider my family would let me out without them right by my side; therefore, no one would be looking for them elsewhere. Sam, Dean, and Cas could go and search through Balthazar's stash of Heavenly weapons while Michael and Gabriel made sure we kept Lucifer on his feet.

I'd be perfectly safe. Lucifer didn't want me injured and he couldn't exactly kidnap me with two archangels lying around. Everything would go exactly as planned.

The funny thing about telling yourself something on a loop for an hour is that the words quickly lose meaning. There were a million things that could go wrong and a million factors we couldn't account for. Still, we had to do this if we wanted to stop Lucifer. We needed whatever weapons we could find and Balthazar's stash surely had something useful.

"Where are we?" I asked Michael as my eyes tried to adjust to the lack of light. Clouds covered the sky threatening a story, but the gentle rain wasn't enough to bother anyone.

"Forks, Washington," Gabriel answered for him with a laugh. "Brother who knew you had a sense of humor."

Michael was blushing as he realized why this town was the first to come to his head. "Don't worry about it," I told my boyfriend with a wink. "I don't think there are any sparkly vampires hanging around for you to compete with. Though if there are I might have to chop off their heads even if they're vegetarians because come on since when do vampires sparkle?"

"I'm all set to teleport us out of here the second we see a single sign of activity," Gabriel promised drawing his blade. "Now it's up to you princess."

How do you call the devil? Well I wasn't sure the proper way, but sarcasm seemed to work. "Hey Luci. What's up buddy? I was thinking you should come and we could have a chat. I'm in Forks, Washington with my new boyfriend Edward, and I think we should get some revenge on my ex together. I know you can hear me Luci some come and get me."

"Let's go," Michael commanded, but Gabriel shook his head.

"We need to wait for Lucifer to arrive, but leave before he sees us. Five more seconds…" Right on time there was a little pop as Lucifer, looking as identical to Mike as always popped in front of me. Before he could even turn around and see us, Gabriel ripped me from the town and I opened my eyes to see a sunny sign that said "Welcome to Las Vegas."

On, and on we went. I'd call Lucifer, and he'd show up just in time for Michael or Gabriel to teleport me out of there. Most anyone would have given up, but Lucifer isn't most anyone. He quickly realized I did not actually want to see him and that we were just playing a game, but he didn't give up. His reaction time got quicker, so quick he even saw us a few times. It didn't matter though because as fast as he was his brothers were faster. Together we cracked up as my taunts got worse and the devil got more frustrated. I was almost disappointed when my dad rang and said he, Sam, and Cas were back at the Bunker waiting for them. When we finally got home, my stomach hurt from laughing.

"Told you my plan was brilliant," I teased over dinner. (Michael and Gabriel were gone to talk to the other angels, so it was just my family and I left in the drafty place. "You really should listen to me more often."

Everyone nodded in agreement, but Uncle Sam, who hated Lucifer the most, understood how funny it, "I wish I could have seen his face! It's good to know that for once we've got the jump on him."

"Plus we've got ourselves some new toys," Dean grinning as he continued to polish Lucifer's archangel blade. "I'd love to see his face when we stab him with his own sword, that's what I'd like."

"Someone knock on wood," I beamed. "Because it looks like we might just win this."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Hey Meg," Michael called grabbing my wrist before I could disappear into my room. "Can we… talk?"

Smiling, I nodded nervously, "Yeah, sure, come right in make yourself at home. I didn't even realize you were back from Heaven. How do things look up there?"

"They could be worse," Michael sighed. "But not by much. I thought I knew how bad it was up there but you can't even imagine. They've been losing Heavens!"

Mike must have seen the confusion lining my eyebrows, because He explained, "I don't know what your parents have told you, but Heaven's not one central place. It's kind of like…. A house made up of a billion rooms. At the beginning of time God made a room for everyone and we angels were in charge of making sure nothing went wrong. But then I left and Metatron cast everyone out and even when they returned to Heaven there wasn't much attention to the humans there. Some of the rooms now can't be found… mostly uninhabited ones of people who haven't been born never mind died yet. Still, there were a few cases of people dying and then not having anywhere to go so I started looking and… It's over a third of the Heavens missing. It's like the fallen angels took down their charges' Heavens too."

"You said most were uninhabited," I pointed out while the chill rolled down my spine. "What happened to the people in those that weren't?"

Michael only shook his head, "We have no idea. Maybe they're back on earth as ghosts, or maybe the falling angels brought them down to Hell… they could even have been reincarnated for all we know! It's a disaster."

"Hey," I told him sliding so close I was almost on his lap. "You'll figure it out. If these people are in Hell we'll free them. It will be okay."

Michael's smile didn't seem to believe me, but he kissed me softly on the forehead, "You should get some sleep; you look ready to drop on your feet."

I was ready to drop. I hadn't been this tired in a very long time, but I couldn't sleep. Only in dreams could Lucifer really find me, and I'd seen enough of him today. The minute I fell asleep he could torture me with his promises and deception and I almost felt like he could make it so I wouldn't wake up at all.

"Hey, what's bugging you?" my boyfriend asked sliding under the covers next to me.

He was the archangel Michael and he was preparing to lead an army of Heavenly host. Michael didn't need to listen to my issues. _But Mike would want you to tell him because he loves you. _"I'm scared Mike. I'm scared that I'll shut my eyes and he'll be there."

A low growl emitted from the man's throat as he thought about Lucifer finding me in my dreams, "He knows you won't say yes or tell him where you are. He's only doing this to get to me. Lucifer knows I love you, and in his eyes that's a weakness. Maybe my only weakness."

"Then he's a fool," I mumbled leaning my head against Mike's chest. "To love isn't to destroy. Love is what stemmed all of creation."

"You don't hate my Father. I hate Him, your family hates Him, so why don't you?"

Michael would never understand, but I could still try to explain, "He did the right thing. I know it might not seem like it, but He did. Every being, including angels, deserves the chance to make his or her own choices. If God just stopped Lucifer, or anyone for that matter, every time they did something wrong, then there's no free will. It's like telling a kid they can have the blue truck or the red truck when there's only a red truck and they're getting that whether or not they say blue. When there's no options left in life we're just zombies, and I'm glad not to be a zombie. Plus… He helped last time without taking away anyone's choices. He gave my family the information they needed to survive. He cleaned Sam of demon blood. He brought Cas back who knows how many times. God's always been helping us and we didn't even know it. That's why I love Him."

"And you really think He cares?" Michael might be the third oldest being in the universe, but he sounded like every other teen with daddy issues. "I mean him helping you landed me in the Cage."

Now it was my turn to give the lingering kiss, "And you came out the Cage a better man. Or better angel guess but whatever. If you hadn't fallen I'd never have been born. Plus, you did choose to grab on to Lucifer, or Uncle Sam whatever I don't even know."

"But He told me it was the right thing to do! All along He said I had to fight my brother, I had to kill him!"

"Did He say you had to do it? Did He even say you should do it? Or did He just say you would do it?"

Michael at first seemed ready to fight, but he realized the truth in my words. All the angels assumed God wanted them to fight Lucifer, but all that was ever prophesized was that the two brothers would fight again. God was their father and I refused to believe that any father would want to see his boys kill each other.

"Get some sleep," Michael whispered as he rose and tucked me in. "And if you see Lucifer again you tell him his brother says 'fuck off'."

"Will do," I told the angel with a giggle. As terrified as I still was of sleeping, I found my eyes shutting just as the angel flicked out the lights.

"Meg, Meggy, wake up."

"Fuck off Lucifer. I'm not going to say yes and I'm not telling you where I am so there is literally no point," I told the angel-mirage with a snarl.

With a little click of his tongue, Lucifer spoke, "Ah but we already know where you are Meg."

"That's not possible," I acknowledges shaking my head a bit too fast. "I've had Enochian on my ribs since the day I was born. You can't find me."

Lucifer almost looked like he pitied me when he spoke, "The thing about Enochian runes are they only protect you from angels if they're perfect. With kids… kids are difficult, girl's especially. Your ribs grow and expand as you go from little babies to an adorable little busty thing like you. The figures carved into the ribs don't stay perfectly aligned. They help to some degree, most angels would never be able to find you, but I am not most angels." A sickening claw tightened around my wrist and a hand covered my scream, "Hello Megan."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I have no idea how I ever mistook Lucifer for Michael.

Sure, their bodies were identical, but their expressions, their movements… that's where you find the difference. Michael walked like a valedictorian who just got a B on a test; Lucifer walked like an assassin who just killed the president and got away with it. They were night and day. You can't have one without the other, but you can see no real connection between the two. Michael couldn't wake me if he tried, but each footstep the fallen angel made echoed in the steel room waking me from my stupor slowly at first then all at once.

A bag covered my head, but I didn't need to see to know my surroundings. When I was little, Dean would make me spend all Saturday blindfolded just so I could get used to using my other senses. I'd hated it at the time, but oh did I need to apologize now.

The poor insulation but relative warmth told me we had to be in some abandoned building down south. Maybe Georgia? Or California? No, Lucifer has a sense of humor; this has to be Georgia.

"Give me a golden fiddle and if I win I get to leave," I murmured stupidly. Maybe I could annoy Lucifer into freeing me, or maybe he'd just be so amused by my wit he wouldn't kill me. _He doesn't want to kill you, Meg. Don't forget that. You hold all the power here. You have the power of the word yes._

Lucifer chuckled at my joke, "I lost that bet once to your Uncle and I don't make the same mistake twice. Meg, take that bag off the pretty girl's head; she knows where we are anyway."

Confusion flit through me as I wondered how on earth I was supposed to take a bag off my own head when my hands were cuffed to a chain. The bag however, was pulled right from my head and as my eyes adjusted to the damp light I caught a glimpse of a wink of the demon's black eyes.

"Meg," Lucifer smirked. "Meet Meg."

Of course. She might have later died at Crowley's hands for my parents, but my namesake was always Lucifer's favorite pet. He must have freed her soul from limbo. _I wonder if he even knows she has any affection for the Winchesters. _

"Funny how your parents would pick the name of a demon to be yours, but I guess my brother never was good at thinking things through." Obviously not.

Despite the chilling chains holding me down, I shrugged, "Always hated my name anyway. No offence."

"None taken," the demon remarked with a snort.

"You going to introduce me to the rest of your friends?" I asked the Devil with a patronizing smile. "Or should I just start guessing." My eyes flickered around the room at the beaming faces surrounding me. Obviously each and everyone Lucifer had gathered into this room had a personal grudge against my family, so all I had to do was figure out who was who and I might just figure out a plan.

"Well your Metatron the dick who spells my dad's name with two S'," I noted of the afro-man I'd once seen on a visit to the cells of Heaven. (Now that is a long story. Trust me.) "And I'm going to guess you're just plain old Dick because only someone as 'charming' as you could fool my idiot nation." Actually, I knew his face from history class, but I wasn't about to admit that. " And the one who makes me look like a full grown human being is Lilith a.k.a the psycho kid who eats other non-psycho kids."

"Enough of this," one of the unnamed demons (either Abbadon or Ruby, but probably Ruby), interrupted. "Let's just stuff some demon blood down her throat and make her beg to be your vessel."

If only the demon realized what her tone really told me, "But he doesn't need me as his vessel. He's said he does, but that's not quite the case is it? It never crossed my mind before, but you bringing me here of all places means it's true. You run cold right, like me. Sam was always hot and you cold so you matched... I'm always cold, so cold, we'd be an icicle together. You can't use me as your vessel; we're not compatible. You don't have a 'true' vessel this time around, do you? You could use anyone, but there wouldn't be any special power to it. You only want me because then Michael can't have me and I'd be useful to him."

I thought Lucifer would hit me for my insolence, but he only still laughed. "You're much smarter than the rest of your family, but you're still wrong. You're right that i don't want you, but there is someone else out there whom I really want. I do need to keep you far away from you 'love' though. See you've always focused on the side of your family that raised you, but really I don't care about them. I care about the surrogate your parents hired. She was what, 18 with a kid already? Her own mother died in childbirth and her father was certainly not in the picture… not that she'd know why."

"And I'm assuming you do," I spit despite being honestly curious. I'd asked about the woman who'd given birth to me so many times, but Dean only met her a couple of times and Cas never even lay an eye on her. They did the necessary tests to make sure she was healthy, but besides that they knew nothing about the desperate woman.

Lucifer smiled, "I know much about her, yes, but Meg here… she knows everything about her."

Of course. I had my dad's fan fiction-green eyes, but I didn't look like him at all besides that. The blonde hair, cutesy face, even the small stature-I had to get that all from my mom. I had to get that all from the woman currently possessed by the demon I was named after.

"And a little help from her son, your brother, let us piece everything together quite well."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

There are some facts that you know your entire life, but never really think about. Those are the kinds of things that when you're forced to think about you will never get out of your head again.

Being tossed in a bank vault with your brother forces you to think about him.

My dads had mentioned my having a half-brother, but why would I think of him? We'd never met, and my only debt to him was that if my mom didn't need the money for him I wouldn't be here. The estranged half-brother didn't work out well for Uncle Sam and Dean; consequently, I never even considered looking for mine. Just as I knew my mother didn't want to be a part of my life I knew he too didn't. Actually, they probably both thought I was dead; that's what Dean told them.

Now they knew I was very much alive and I couldn't ignore my brother any longer. "What… what's your name?" Isn't that the kind of thing you should know? Probably, he probably knew mine, but I'd never asked his. Dean probably had never even asked his. A baby can't be born without a woman, and when that woman is willing to do things under the table, you don't ask questions.

"Liam," he whispered not even meeting my eyes. "You're Megan, aren't you? My sister."

He wasn't looking and therefore couldn't see, but I still nodded, "I'm sorry."

Now Liam looked at me and I was startled by how similar we looked. Despite everything about us being the recessive traits, Liam and I matched in every way. Except for our eyes. I had my dad's eyes, and I could only assume he did too. "Why are you sorry? This isn't exactly your fault now, is it? You're what, 16?"

"Fifteen," I whispered. "But that doesn't make it any less my fault… He's trying to get to my family… my boyfriend…. It's a long story."

Liam smiled half way so it looked as if he was more annoyed than pleased, "And I've been told that story already, so I guess it's time I tell you one." What did Liam know? Lucifer hadn't been free for that long, so he couldn't have been grabbed much earlier than I was. Maybe two days ago, tops? Had Lucifer really told him what was going on? _Of course he did Meg because you're Michael's vessel which makes Liam, your brother, Lucifer's. _

"You haven't said yes," I noted with surprise. Most people would have easily been fooled into saying yes, but not Liam. He stayed strong. "How did you even know not to say yes?"

Now Liam really was grinning, "How do you think? After you 'died' our mom decided to do a bit of research. If you're willing to try it's not very difficult to find a nice, friendly psychic willing to spill the beans on the Winchesters. She learned about monsters, and she realized she'd given her daughter away to psychopaths."

"My parents aren't psychopaths," I growled. Who did this kid think he was to call a woman our mother and then insult the only people who've been real parents to me? If I wasn't chained to the floor I'd probably have hit him. Actually, since he wasn't chained to the floor I probably was only chained to the floor so I didn't hit him.

Liam didn't seem to believe me, "Really? They're neurotically attached to their family. Tell me that if it came to saving the world or saving each other they'd choose the world." I wanted to yell that they have. Sam went to Hell to save the world, but at the same time, in later years, they'd made the other choice. My dad made the other choice. He'd never choose the world over Sam, or Cas, or me. And he'd kill anyone he thought could be a threat to one of us. If that wasn't psychopathic behavior what is?

_Psychopaths don't care, _my subconscious reminded. _They lack the ability to feel empathy, the ability to care. Your family's problem has always been they care too much. They may have their issues, but they're not psychopaths._

"You're wrong," I spit at my brother. "You don't know so shut the f*ck up until you do."

Liam didn't rise to my anger, "Whatever you say, little sis. Whatever. You. Say. Now can I get on with my story?" I didn't respond, and he (unfortunately) took that a sign to continue. "Once OUR mother realized you were in danger, we went looking for you. I spent my life on the road looking for a little sister who could very well have been dead. You think hunting is hard? Try hunting hunters. We actually caught up with you once, in Coffee, Kansas, but you disappeared before we could make contact. I met your dad though, Dean, and from the look on your face he never even told you, did he?" No, he hadn't. "Typical. Protect little Meggy by keeping her in the dark; I bet that was their method. Well look at us now and tell me if it worked."

"They tried their best," I hissed weakly. Maybe my family did do a terrible job raising me, but they tried their best. Couldn't I really blame them for that?

Liam raised his hands in a shrug, "Maybe they did, but that doesn't mean what they did was right. They kept a child from her mother."

"Our mother… your mother knew what she was getting herself into!" I wasn't going to take any more of this… this abuse. I was done being peaceful little Megan. I was a Winchester and I would act like one. "She knew that she'd have nine months of me and then she'd never, ever see me again. I was never supposed to be her child!"

"You know nothing of mothers, do you?" Liam remarked almost as if he pitied me. "Guess that makes sense you never knowing one and all, but as a woman I'd think you'd understand. When our mother agreed to have you she didn't realize what being a mother meant. She was my age with a newborn who kept her up all night. Why would she ever think she'd want another child? But she had one. She was with you day and night for nine months and she came to love you. When she had to give you over her heart broke, but when she heard you'd died… that drove her insane. Our mother, your mother, refused to believe you had died and she spent the next fifteen years searching for a child who could very well be dead. But you're not. You're alive and you're here, but she isn't."

"She's here," I muttered trying to block out the echoes of Liam's words, "She's just…"

"Possessed. Yeah, I know. Your mother possessed by the demon your angel father named you after because of your angelic uncle. Nice family you have going on there, Megan. And you don't even know half the story."

"You've said enough," I told the boy wanting to focus on getting out. "You don't need to repeat how you spent years looking for someone you had no right to know."

Liam smiled mischievously, "Exactly. You know half the story. You know the half in which we were alive, but wouldn't you like to know what makes us such powerful vessels? Wouldn't you like to know about the rest of your family? Because trust me Meg, I didn't know this story either when I arrived, but I see everything differently now that I do."


	24. Chapter 24

Two chapters in a row? No I'm not kidding you. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 24

A single look at my brother said that we shared a certain… stubbornness, so I knew he'd tell me this story no matter what. Maybe if I just sat on the floor looking at him expectantly it would be quick.

"I guess I need to start with our grandparents. Our grandmother was like any other woman, actually, she was a bit like you. I say was because she died three years ago at the hand of an angel we'd hoped could lead us to you. It wasn't until the angel ripped her throat out that we even knew why she was so hated among their kind, but I'm getting ahead of myself." I wasn't sure how to feel about the grandma who'd died looking for me, so I stored that in the *pretend you're coming back to it and forget forever* folder of my brain. "Her name was Heather, and boy was she wonderful. She was special too, a prophet before God came down and pretended she'd died so he could take her place. As a prophet, she had an angel guard, and not just an archangel ready to swoop down should she be in mortal peril. Heather was assigned a guardian angel, which needless to say is rare. This angel was to not only protect her, but guide her in using her gifts. His name was Suriel, and he did the one thing he had been forbidden to do; he fell in love with his charge. Even after Chuck came around and the other angels left, Suriel knew Heather had not died and stayed with her. I'm sure you're well aware what happens to an angel who spends a long period of time around humans; they become like a human. He was cut off from Heaven's grace, but he stayed by his love's side. Suriel stayed with her until he became so human that they accidentally conceived a child, a nephilin. Hoping to protect his unborn child, Suriel fled leaving Heather to raise their very special daughter, our mother, Nadia."

So my mother was a nephilin. Of all the desperate woman in the country Dean had to find the one who had angelic blood and didn't even know that was the case. Of course I was a powerful vessel! Not only was I a Winchester, I was 1/4th angel!

"But I've been told about nephilin," I muttered more to myself than Liam. "They have grace, their eyes glow, they can do extraordinary things, so how did our mother not know?"

Liam almost looked sad when he replied, "Because her grace was locked away by Suriel. He thought that if she couldn't access the Heavenly part of her then maybe angels wouldn't be able to find her. The grace stayed locked away to the point that it is no longer there. If our mother still had angelic grace she couldn't be possessed."

That made no sense. How could grace just disappear? If she didn't have it anymore, what happened to it and why did I know the missing grace would cause trouble?

"Okay so our mother is kinda-sorta a nephilin. Good to know. Is that the other half of the story you so desperately needed to tell me?" Liam's grin said otherwise, so I wasn't surprised when he shook his head and continued to speak.

"I'm trying to tell you our family history. Please just shut up and listen you're exhausting little sister." I wanted to yell at him that we weren't siblings, but as it wasn't technically true I just shut up and waited for the drama queen to finish her tale. "When our mother was a freshman in high school, she got in a pretty serious relationship with junior and enigma Jamie Tucker. Nine months later came little old me and a father halfway around the world. That father is the reason Lucifer wants me as his vessel. See Jamie Tucker wasn't his real name, but people tend to pick aliases with the same initials as their real name. My father's real name was Jesse Turner, and he was the anti-christ…another thing our mother knew nothing about until it was far too late."

Maybe it was a stupid thing to do, but I laughed hysterically, "So you're half human, a quarter angel and a quarter demon? Now I believe you're my brother because your life is insane."

Liam almost smiled, "But I'm not a quarter angel, not really, because that little bit of grace inside our mother was suppressed when I was conceived. I don't have any grace, which if I'm being honest was quite a disappointment to the big guy out there."

_Wow Megan, good job. You're so wrapped up in the story you forgot about the freaking devil waiting somewhere outside. 10/10._

"You know my paternal grandmother Julia Wright… she tried to have another child after my father, but she couldn't. The demonic side burned out her womb making it poison. She had three miscarriages and a stillborn before realizing she was cursed and eventually taking her own life. To a lesser extent my presence in our mother's womb cursed it for you. You probably wouldn't have ever been born if not for our mother's hidden grace. It was stronger, more prevalent than the demon traces I left, and it wrapped around you like a ribbon on a puppy. It protected you from the curse I left behind, but it seems to have grown… found of you. Do you want to know how I know your father never told you about meeting us? I can just look at you and know there are a lot of things they never told you. Because you were raised by an angel, and angel who should have seen what the demon inside me can clearly pick out. Our mother's grace didn't just protect you when you were in the womb, it seeped into your very soul and held tight when you were born. It's there, even now festering inside you. Our mother is probably very glad to be possessed at the moment because at least she doesn't have to try and find words to speak to her son, the cambion, and her daughter the nephilin."


End file.
